Exam cheating: Fraudsters confess to having taken money

Two youths arrested in the Himachal Pradesh Police recruitment exam cheating scam have reportedly confessed to having accepted money from candidates in exchange for helping them cheat in the examination, which was held on June 15. However, the police investigation team found no clue or evidence of paper leak during the duo’s police interrogation, say sources in the local police.

On Monday, the Kangra district police had registered a criminal case at the Palampur police station under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (Indian Justice Code) against Vikram and Balvinder, alias Sonu Jaryal, and arrested them. They were the main alleged accused, who took money and facilitated the candidates in cheating during the examination.

Police sources revealed that they also summoned 10 suspicious candidates during the duo’’s interrogation and questioned them about the money given by them for cheating. Some of them admitted to having given the money. They revealed that the duo arranged methods to enable them cheat in the examination.

The candidates’ statements were recorded by the investigation team. However, none of them have been arrested, so far.

Furthermore, police sources revealed that the duo might have collected between Rs 35 lakh to Rs 50 lakh from the candidates, however, it was yet to be established with evidences. The investigation team has also sought the details of bank accounts of the fraudsters that would be examined to find out clues of the exchange of money.

The names of these two fraudsters had also previously surfaced in the 2022 police recruitment paper leak case and the 2019 illegal Bluetooth device usage racket, wherein over 35 individuals were arrested for using electronic gadgets to cheat in the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti exams held in Shimla.

Kangra Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri said both the fraudsters were in police custody till June 23. The investigations were in progress, and no further arrests had been made, so far, he said.

Himachal Tribune