3 more arrested in Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment paper leak case: Fresh exam on January 6
The Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment paper was cancelled after reports of paper leak on December 2. Three more people have been arrested in the case and the state government announced the date for the fresh exam.
Gujarat Police arrested three more involved in the Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment paper leak because of which the exam was cancelled just hours before commencement last Sunday.
The three people arrested last Thursday included the prime accused, and now the total number of arrested has reached 11. Most of the accused were applicants appearing for the recruitment exam, while three were BJP workers, and one was a sub-inspector.
The state government announced on Thursday that a fresh recruitment examination will take place on January 6.
The cancellation of the written exam for the recruitment of 9,713 posts of fixed pay constables in Gujarat left 8,76,356 candidates -- coming from not only across the state but also from outside -- stranded and confused.
Read: Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment exam paper leaks, exam cancelled for 8.75 lakh candidates
Who were the three people recently arrested in the Gujarat paper leak case?
Those arrested Thursday were identified as Yashpal Solanki, Indravadan Parmar and Rajendra Vaghela.
Solanki and Vaghela were to appear for the written examination on Sunday, the official said.
Delhi-gang involved in paper leak
Indravadan Parmar and some others hatched the conspiracy to obtain the question paper in advance with the help of a Delhi-based gang, said Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Mayur Chavda.
"Parmar was in contact with this gang which had promised to provide the question paper for money. He and some of his accomplices, who are yet to be arrested, then decided to send some candidates to Delhi to collect the paper," Chavda told reporters.
Two days before the examination, around 30 persons, including some candidates, reached Delhi, where the gang provided them the question paper and answers.
In return, the gang collected cheques of Rs 5 lakh from each candidate.
"Though the gang members asked these candidates not to write down anything and just memorise every question, Solanki managed to write them down on a piece of paper and gave it to Parmar. Parmar passed it to other candidates. He had planned to make money by circulating the question paper," said Chavda.
Police have formed several teams to nab the members of this Delhi-based gang, he said.
Gujarat CM announces free bus rides for recruitment exam candidates
On Thursday, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced that the candidates appearing for the police constable recruitment would not have to pay for the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation bus tickets in order to reach the various examination centres.
The CM also said that the recruitment would be carried out fairly and transparently.
What happened right before the exams?
Just a few hours before the exam was supposed to start, the police learned that the answer key of the Gujarat Police Constable Recruitment exam had been leaked.
Sahay
"Somebody sent me a list of answers, and they were answers to the questions set for the examination. We called off the examination as it was clear that the paper had been leaked," said Vikas Sahay, the chairman of Lok Rakshak Dal, the conducting body of exam.
, the additional DGP of Police Recruitment Board, had prepared the question paper himself.
Virendra Yaadav, the Superintendent of Police of the CID (Crime) in Gandhinagar, registered a complaint with the police in the answer key paper leak, postponing the exams.
Who were arrested earlier?
Prior to Thursday's arrests, police had nabbed eight persons including two BJP workers -- Manhar Patel of Arjanvav of Bayad Taluka (Block) from BJP, and Mukesh Chaudhari, a BJP taluka panchayat member.
(With inputs from PTI)