PATNA: Bihar police on Monday identified the 'solver gang' that tried to manipulate the Bihar Police Radio Operator recruitment examination.
15 individuals, including its members, candidates, teachers and the superintendent of an examination centre in Khagaria district, have been arrested.
The recruitment examination for 993 Radio Operator posts in the Bihar Police was conducted last Sunday. Around 2.83 lakh candidates had applied for the examination, which was held simultaneously at 544 centres across all 38 districts of the state.
Bhanu Pratap Singh, SP, Khagaria, said that the preliminary investigation showed the gang lured candidates with false promises of ensuring their success in the examination and charged between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 6 lakh from each candidate.
Blank cheques were allegedly collected so the agreed amount could be withdrawn from the candidates’ bank accounts after the examination.
The SP said that the joint operation was carried out under the leadership of Khagaria Sadar SDPO-I Mukul Kumar Ranjan and Cyber DSP Nishant Gaurav. All those arrested are being interrogated, while efforts are continuing to identify and arrest other members of the alleged network.
The SP told the media that the district intelligence unit (DIU) swung into action after receiving inputs about the solver gang on June 28.
Among those arrested is Brajesh Kumar, the superintendent of the examination centre in Khagaria.
The investigation has indicated that candidates were also promised assistance at the examination centre.
Police are now investigating the wider network and its connections. The investigators did not rule out the involvement of a few teachers in the scandal.
The police recovered nine mobile phones, seven bank cheques, one ATM card, eight admit cards of appearing candidates, certificates, Aadhaar cards, one four-wheeler and one motorbike during the raid.
The SP said the investigation is continuing on multiple fronts.
Based on the questioning of those arrested, police have identified the alleged kingpin of the gang and other associates, and raids are being conducted to arrest them as well.