Ranchi Police Crack Down on Exam Fraud Ahead of Jharkhand Excise Constable Test
In a major pre-emptive strike against examination malpractice, Ranchi city police arrested 164 people, including 159 aspirants, in the early hours of Sunday. The arrests were made just ahead of the Jharkhand Excise Constable Competitive Examination, 2023, on charges of attempting to adopt unfair means, forgery, and other related offenses.
No Paper Leak, Says Commission Chairman
Prashant Kumar, chairman of the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission, which conducts the exam, firmly stated that there was no paper leak involved. He clarified that the police action was based on a specific tip-off and had no bearing on the integrity of the examination itself. Kumar emphasized that the crackdown was a preventive measure to uphold the sanctity of the competitive process.
Links to NEET-UG Paper Leak Gang Uncovered
Police officers revealed that the remaining five accused belong to a notorious 'solver's gang' that was previously involved in the 2024 NEET-UG paper leak case. The gang's kingpin has been identified as Atul Vats, 38, a native of Jehanabad in Bihar. Other key members arrested include:
- Vikas Kumar, 41, of Patna
- Mukesh Kumar Singh, 32, of East Champaran
- Ashish Kumar, 37, of Ramgarh district, Jharkhand
- Yogesh Prasad, 34, of Ramgarh district, Jharkhand
Police Raid Uncovers Elaborate Operation
Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan provided detailed insights into the operation. He stated that a large number of students had gathered at an under-construction building in Rargaon, under the Tamar police station limits, on Saturday night. The gang's agents had brought the candidates to this location, confiscated their mobile phones and admit cards, and were preparing them for the exam through illicit means.
Acting on received information, a police team led by SP (rural) Pravin Pushkar, SP (city) Paras Rana, and SP (traffic) Rakesh Singh conducted a swift raid. "The candidates attempted to throw or hide their possessions and flee in chaos, but were apprehended. Among those arrested, seven are female. All had been transported from various locations in four-wheelers," Ranjan explained.
Substantial Evidence Seized
The police recovered a significant amount of evidence from the scene, including printers, question-answer sets, admit cards, mobile phones, and bank cheques. Additionally, eight vehicles used in the operation were seized. This haul underscores the organized nature of the fraud attempt.
Candidates Permanently Barred, Gang Defrauded Aspirants
Prashant Kumar further disclosed that the arrested candidates have been permanently barred from taking any future examinations due to their resort to unfair means. However, he noted that the gang had essentially defrauded these aspirants. "The gang provided the candidates with some question papers, instructing them to memorize or solve them under the false pretense that they were leaked papers," Kumar told the media.
He added that the gang allegedly charged each candidate around Rs 10-15 lakh for this fraudulent service. Kumar reiterated a stern warning to all aspirants to refrain from falling for such deceptive means and to rely solely on honest preparation.
Political Reactions and Broader Context
The incident quickly drew political reactions. The BJP criticized the Hemant Soren-led government for failing to ensure the sanctity of examinations. Former MLA Bhanu Pratap Sahi demanded the Chief Minister's resignation and called for a CBI probe into the entire nexus.
In response, the Congress, part of the ruling alliance, accused the BJP of engaging in petty politics. Party spokesperson Alok Dubey stated, "It is because of an alert police force that this nexus was foiled."
This exam has been under scrutiny previously. In 2024, as many as 15 candidates died during physical tests for the 583 posts of excise constables, which prompted the government to temporarily halt the recruitment process. The physical tests were resumed on September 10 last year after the Standard Operating Procedure was amended to enhance safety measures.
The crackdown in Ranchi highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining examination integrity across competitive tests in India, with links to previous high-profile cases like the NEET-UG paper leak adding to the seriousness of the issue.
