The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested a state government official on suspicion that he was the mastermind of a syndicate that helped students cheat in the Staff Selection Commission examinations, PTI reported. An upper division clerk in the trade and tax department, Harpal Singh, 33, had been on the run since the syndicate was busted in March.
The Staff Selection Commission is a government organisation that conducts exams to recruit staff for various ministries and Central government departments. In February, candidates alleged that the Combined Graduate Level Exam 2017 Tier II papers had been leaked on social media. The Centre ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the case, but the Supreme Court said there was no need for this as a probe was already underway.
With the arrest of 33-year-old Harpal Singh, the police have now arrested 10 people suspected of being involved in the racket. In April, the police had arrested five persons. Four suspects were arrested in March after the case was transferred from local police officers to the Crime Branch.
The police said the accused hacked into computer systems and assisted candidates taking the exam. The candidates were charged lakhs of rupees. The accused allegedly developed a network with examination centres and computer laboratories to which the Staff Selection Commission outsources the conduct of the tests.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!