18 Haryana Candidates Arrested for Bluetooth Cheating in Army Recruitment Exam in Bengaluru
In a significant crackdown on examination malpractice, Bengaluru police have arrested 18 candidates from Haryana for allegedly using sophisticated Bluetooth-enabled electronic devices to cheat during an Army recruitment examination. The incident occurred at the 515 Army Base Workshop in Halasuru, Bengaluru, during the written test for direct recruitment to Group ‘C’ Lower Division Clerk posts.
Details of the Malpractice
The Halasuru police in Bengaluru took action on Tuesday, following the examination held on February 8. According to authorities, the candidates engaged in a coordinated cheating operation during the test, which was conducted between 10 am and 12 noon as part of the Civil Defence Employment Recruitment process.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the accused candidates photographed the question paper and transmitted it to accomplices outside the examination hall. These accomplices then dictated answers back to the candidates through Bluetooth-linked communication devices, enabling real-time cheating during the test.
Discovery and Arrests
Invigilators at the 515 Army Base Workshop noticed suspicious behavior among certain candidates, prompting a thorough inspection. This led to the recovery of three mobile phones and approximately a dozen Bluetooth communication devices, which are suspected to have been used in the malpractice.
A police officer stated, "Some of the devices were concealed on the candidates, while additional electronic gadgets were seized from bags kept outside the examination hall belonging to two of the candidates who had appeared for the exam."
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Surender
- Sandeep
- Monty
- Anuj
- Ajay Kumar
- Sumit
- Rahul
- Aman
- Ankit
- Vikas
- Yogesh
- Aman Redu
- Rajat
- Ankit
- Vinay
- Aman Kumar
- Manish
- Prashant
All 18 are reportedly natives of Haryana. Following questioning, they were taken into custody and have been remanded in judicial custody.
Legal Action and Complaint
The police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Colonel S S Jyotirlingam, who serves as the Security Officer to the Commandant and Managing Director of the 515 Army Base Workshop. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about integrity in recruitment processes and the use of technology for fraudulent activities.
The arrest underscores the vigilance of examination authorities and law enforcement in combating such malpractices, which undermine the fairness of competitive exams. Further investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the cheating network and to prevent similar incidents in the future.
