LUCKNOW: Around a-month-and-a-half after the alleged paper leak scam in the Uttar Pradesh police constable recruitment exam, the Special Task Force (STF) of UP police has apprehended prime accused Rajeev Nayan Mishra (32), a native of Prayagraj and based in Bhopal from Noida on Wednesday.
The UP STF, probing the paper leak scam in one of the largest recruitment drives in the country, traced Mishra after investigations revealed he was involved in unlocking the box containing question papers at a Ahmedabad warehouse. He had sought assistance from Bihar-based doctor Shubham Mandal to accomplish the task. Moreover, Mishra also allegedly bribed the transport company staff to facilitate the theft of the question papers, said the UP STF sources.
Accompanied by his associates, Mishra, the alleged kingpin of the paper leak racket, distributed the question papers to approximately 300 candidates gathered at Shiv Mahashakti Resort in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, two days before the exam on February 15. These candidates, predominantly from Bihar, UP, and MP, each paid `4 lakh to Mishra for early access to the exam papers, STF officials disclosed.
Rajeev Mishra, who holds a BTech in civil engineering from a private college in Bhopal, met Ravi Atri, another alleged ‘mastermind’, four years ago. However, Ravi Atri, Goldy, Vikram Pahal, and their associates remain at large, stated STF.
So far, the UP STF have arrested a total of 399 individuals in connection with the UP police constable exam paper leak. The state government cancelled the examination held offline in four sessions on February 17-18, following which the STF was tasked with investigating the matter.
According to Additional DG (Law and Order), Amitabh Yash, Rajeev was previously arrested in connection with the 2022 TET paper leak and the 2023 National Health Mission Contractual Staff Nurse recruitment exam paper leak.
During interrogation, Mishra disclosed his involvement in such shady activities since his college days. He was involved in extorting money for college admissions in Bhopal.
Further investigations revealed Mishra’s association with Dr Sharad Patel, a key figure in the UP police constable paper leaking racket, who collaborated with Ravi Atri of Gautam Buddha Nagar. With Atri’s assistance, Mishra conducted coaching sessions where leaked exam papers were distributed among candidates.
Moreover, Mishra also named Monu Gurjar, Rajneesh Ranjan, Monu Pandit, Gaurav, and Pramod Pathak, as his associates involved in rigging competitive examinations for lure of lucre.
Previously arrested in similar paper leaks
According to Additional DG (Law and Order), Amitabh Yash, Rajeev was previously arrested in connection with the 2022 TET paper leak and the 2023 National Health Mission Contractual Staff Nurse recruitment exam paper leak. Further investigation revealed Mishra’s association with Dr Sharad Patel, a key figure in the UP police constable paper leaking racket, who collaborated with Ravi Atri of Gautam Buddha Nagar. Mishra conducted coaching sessions where leaked exam papers were given to candidates.