Bihar: Three held in recruitment exam paper leak, test postponed

The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police has arrested three persons in connection with the alleged question paper leak in a government recruitment examination. The Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission's (BPSSC's) Havildar Instructor Examination, originally scheduled for August 5, has been postponed until further notice, officials said on Saturday.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Raj Samdarshi alias Raja (25) of Patna, Abhishek Kumar (21) of Vaishali, and Nitesh Kumar (28), a biometric supervisor also from Vaishali. According to an official statement from the EOU, Samdarshi was detained after police received a tip-off that he would appear at the Hajipur centre for the Home Guard Service Instructor Examination conducted on Wednesday.

During interrogation, Samdarshi reportedly disclosed the involvement of Abhishek Kumar. He also claimed that a similar modus operandi had been adopted during the Assistant Election Development Officer (AEDO) examination held in April this year. The police have alleged that answers to the examination paper were transmitted to Samdarshi through biometric supervisor Nitesh Kumar.

A case has been registered at the Economic Offences police station under Sections 10 and 11(1) of the Bihar Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act. The sections pertain to offences related to paper leaks and unfair practices in public examinations. Four other persons have also been named in the First Information Report (FIR), the police said.

Investigators said that an examination of mobile phones seized from Samdarshi and Abhishek led to the recovery of several examination-related documents, including admit cards and answer sheets. The EOU statement said that the accused had allegedly devised a method to share question papers and answers using electronic devices during the examination.

The postponement of the Havildar Instructor Examination has affected thousands of candidates who were scheduled to appear for the test. The BPSSC has not announced a fresh date for the examination yet. Officials said that a detailed investigation is underway to unravel the network involved in the leak and to identify any other persons who may be linked to the case.

The case is being investigated under the Bihar Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, which was enacted to ensure transparency and fairness in state-level recruitment examinations. The Act provides for stringent punishment, including imprisonment, for those found guilty of indulging in unfair means such as paper leaks, use of unfair means, and impersonation.

Recruitment examinations in Bihar have faced scrutiny in the past due to alleged irregularities. In April this year, the AEDO examination had also come under a cloud of suspicion, and the EOU had initiated a probe into that matter. The current arrests are seen as part of a broader effort by the state authorities to crack down on such malpractices.

The police have urged the public to report any suspicious activity related to recruitment examinations. They have also assured candidates that the investigation will be thorough and that those responsible for the leak will be brought to justice. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.