Seven people, including an FCI employee, have been arrested for alleged involvement in leaking the question paper of a national level examination to recruit 1,943 social security assistants in Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, police said on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, Rahul Yadav, Ram Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Yashpal Singh and Devesh Dinkar were arrested at Nice Foundation School in Sultanpuri on Sunday. Police have also identified at least 24 candidates who were helped by the gang.
“The gang had got the question paper photocopied from a centre in Pitampura and smuggled them out just before the examination commenced. It was then solved at their hideout and the answers were conveyed to candidates through mobile phones,” said Sanjay Kumar Jain, deputy commissioner of police (crime and railways).
He said the gang included Rahul, who was scheduled to join Narcotics Control Bureau as an inspector on May 28, Ram, a manager with Food Corporation of India in Lucknow, and their accomplice Sumit, who is absconding.
“Among the paper solvers were three government school teachers Vijay, Sunil and Manoj, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation employee Yashpal, and civil services aspirant Devesh,” Jain added.
During interrogation, Rahul and Ram told police that they charged between Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh from candidates.
“Photocopies of 24 candidates’ admit cards with their cellphone numbers written on them have also been recovered from the gang,” Jain said, adding the five ‘paper solvers’ were each promised Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.
A case of criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy has been registered against them at Crime Branch police station.
Police are trying to identify the people involved in leaking the questions papers from the examination centre. “The involvement of the gang in other similar examinations is also being explored,” Jain added.
The examination was initially scheduled on April 15, but postponed to May 13. It was also conducted at 176 centres across the country.