CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have busted an inter-state cheating racket that operated during Sunday's Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination conducted by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) in Faridkot.
Thirty-five persons, including seven key conspirators and 28 candidates, have been arrested. They were allegedly using miniature Bluetooth devices concealed inside their turbans, socks and undergarments.
Sources said the police detected the use of pen cameras and real-time dictation during the examination conducted to recruit pharmacy officers. They also seized 27 battery-operated wireless devices allegedly used for cheating.
The examination, held to fill 454 Pharmacy Officer posts, attracted around 7,000 candidates. It was conducted by BFUHS at the request of the Health and Family Welfare Department. To ensure the integrity of the recruitment process, the university deployed flying squads to inspect 18 examination centres across Faridkot, Kotkapura and Ferozepur. The recruitment process evaluates candidates through a 90-mark written examination and 10 marks for professional experience.
Sources said the flying squads uncovered the concealed devices during routine inspections. The recovery of identical equipment from multiple candidates pointed to the involvement of an organised cheating racket.
According to the investigation, a candidate identified as Ayush in Ferozepur allegedly used a concealed pen camera to scan the question paper, which was then sent via WhatsApp to an accomplice, Sajan, in Bhiwani, Haryana. Sajan allegedly forwarded the paper to another operative, Deepak, who was stationed at a makeshift control room set up at the residence of Gurmeet Singh in Society Nagar, Faridkot. From there, the key accused, Manjit Singh and Deepak, allegedly dictated answers in real time through wireless devices to several candidates inside the examination halls.
The racket allegedly operated with corporate-level logistics and charged candidates exorbitant sums ranging from Rs 3.5 lakh to Rs 13 lakh to guarantee success in the examination. Several candidates had reportedly handed over post-dated cheques as financial security to the accused.
In a statement, the police said the investigation had found no evidence of a question paper leak or the involvement of any officials. "The breach occurred entirely in real time after the examination commenced. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the mastermind behind the operation was Gurmeet Singh, an employee of Sant Kabir Polytechnic College in Fazilka," the statement said.
"On the morning of the examination, several operatives gathered at a hotel on the Faridkot-Kotkapura Road to distribute specialised battery-operated wireless micro-devices to the compromised candidates," the statement added.
A total of 28 candidates were detained in Faridkot and Ferozepur for allegedly using the devices, 27 of which have been seized by the police.
The police have also arrested seven key members of the racket from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Raids are underway to apprehend the remaining members of the gang.
An FIR has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act. Investigators have so far found no official involvement or "insider" role in the case.
Dr Neetu Kakkar, Medical Superintendent of Guru Gobind Singh Medical College, said the Health and Family Welfare Department had been briefed on the incident. She dismissed allegations of a question paper leak and clarified that the malpractice was limited to certain candidates using illicit electronic devices.
She said the state government would take the final decision on the recruitment process, which was initiated by Director of Health Services Dr Hitender Kaur on June 4.
"The department has asked BFUHS to submit a detailed report, following which the higher authorities will take an appropriate decision," she added.