ED Intensifies Probe in UP Exam Leak Scandal
The Lucknow zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate has taken a significant step forward in the high-profile examination fraud case. On Wednesday, the agency filed a supplementary prosecution complaint against eighteen accused individuals. This legal action targets the alleged mastermind, Rajiv Nayan Mishra, and others connected to two major examination leaks.
Examinations Under Scrutiny
The case involves the Uttar Pradesh police constable recruitment examination for 2023 and the review officer or assistant review officer examination for the same year. According to the ED, candidates received both questions and answers well before the scheduled tests in February 2024. The agency's investigation uncovered a disturbing financial link. Proceeds generated from the RO/ARO paper leak were allegedly used to fund and facilitate the subsequent leak of the police constable examination paper.
Legal Proceedings and Asset Attachment
The complaint was formally submitted before the special judge at the CBI Court in Lucknow. This court is specifically designated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED launched its probe based on an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force in Meerut during March 2024. Investigators discovered that multiple other FIRs related to the same fraud were registered across various police stations. All these cases were later consolidated with the ED's investigation.
A crucial finding of the probe was the identification of assets valued at approximately Rs 1.02 crore. The agency classified these properties as proceeds of crime. On August 6, 2024, the ED provisionally attached these assets. The adjudicating authority under the PMLA in New Delhi later confirmed this attachment order.
Ongoing Legal Actions
This recent complaint adds to a series of legal actions in the case. Earlier, the ED arrested two accused persons, Ravi Attri and Subhash Prakash, in November 2024. The agency had already filed a prosecution complaint against seven accused on January 10, 2025. The court took cognizance of that complaint, and the trial is currently in progress. With this latest filing, the total number of individuals chargesheeted by the central agency in this case now stands at twenty-five.
The Enforcement Directorate continues its rigorous investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The case highlights the serious consequences of examination fraud and the subsequent money laundering activities linked to such crimes.
