CUTTACK: Markatnagar police have arrested an Odisha Civil Services (OCS) aspirant for allegedly adopting unfair practices during the preliminary examination on Sunday. Three others were also apprehended on charges of aiding him in writing the test.
Police identified the accused as Abhishek Rout (29) of Chauliaganj in the city along with Soumya Ranjan Sahoo, Rupesh Jha and Alex Raj Pani.
Police said, Rout was appearing for the OCS prelims exam at Ajay Binay Institute of Technology (ABIT) when he was found in possession of a bluetooth earbud and a mobile phone which he had concealed inside his undergarment.
As the exam was underway, invigilators grew suspicious after they noticed Rout repeatedly reading out the questions loudly. Upon verification, they found that he was communicating the questions and receiving answers through the bluetooth earbud.
The devices were seized by the invigilators in accordance with the prescribed procedures and Rout was handed over to the police. Basing on the complaint of the centre supervisor, a case was registered.
During probe, police found that Sahoo, Jha and Pani were helping Rout by dictating the answers over phone. They were nabbed from CDA and Badambadi areas.
Sources said Rout was working as a supervisor at the SCB Medical College and Hospital on an outsourcing basis and it was his last chance to appear for the exam.
A senior police officer said all four were produced in court and appropriate legal action will be taken on the basis of the evidence collected.
Meanwhile, Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) authorities have initiated steps to permanently debar Rout from attempting the exam. “Basing on the report of the examination centre superintendent, we have initiated steps as per the rules to debar Abhishek Rout permanently from appearing the OCS examination,” said a senior OPSC officer adding, it was the first such case and no other type of incident was reported from across the state.