HYDERABAD: The question papers of examination for the recruitment of 833 Assistant Engineers (AE), Municipal Assistant Engineers, Technical Officers and Junior Technical Officer in various engineering departments held on March 5, were leaked, the Hyderabad city police confirmed after nabbing nine accused, including two employees of the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) on Monday. TSPSC is likely to take a call on whether or not to cancel the test for the recruitment of engineers and technical officers.
This came to light while the police were investigating the allegations of leak of the question paper for the recruitment test of Town Planning and Building Overseers. The police have sent the digital devices such as pen drives, laptops and mobile phones seized from the accused to the forensic laboratory. If the police find evidence of leak of TPBO question paper, it is quite likely that more accused will be arrested.
one accused sold question paper for Rs 13.5 lakh
Since one of the accused was recruited as a government teacher through TSPSC exam, the police may look into the possibility of leak of question papers for other tests conducted earlier. The arrested persons are Pulidindi Praveen Kumar (32), an Assistant Section Officer in TSPSC, Atla Raja Shekar Reddy, a network admin in TSPSC, Renuka (35), a government Hindi teacher, Lavdyavath Dhakya, a technical assistant in the Vikarabad District Rural Development Agency, Kethavath Rajeshwar (33), a job aspirant, Kethavath Neelesh Nayak, a site engineer working at Hadapsar, Pune, Pathlavath Gopal Nayak (29), another government job aspirant, Kethavath Srinivas, a police constable in Medchal police station and Kethavath Rajender Nayak, a mason. The police found physical copies of assistant engineers examination and other incriminating evidence.
According to DCP South-West Zone Kiran Khare, and Task Force DCP P Radhakishan Rao, prime accused Praveen Kumar in collusion with Raja Shekar Reddy leaked the question paper at the behest of his friend Renuka.
“On March 2, the accused got hold of the password of TSPSC’s Section Officer Shanker Lakshmi, and opened her PC. They copied the exam question paper for engineers in a pen drive and took printouts,” Kiran Khare said.
Later, Praveen gave them to Renuka who in turn contacted their close relatives with the support of her husband Dhakya, police said. They initially contacted Kethavath Srinivas, offering to sell the question paper to him. Srinivas did not show interest in the deal and referred them to his relatives - Gopal Naik and Neelesh Naik, who were preparing for the Civil Engineer posts’ recruitment exam. They paid `13.5 lakh to Renuka, who gave `10 lakh from the bribe amount to Praveen.
“After obtaining the question papers, Gopal Naik and Neelesh Naik prepared for two days for the exam in the residence of Renuka,” said DCP Radhakishan Rao. When asked whether the accused leaked TPBO exam papers as well, the police officer said that they would further investigate after obtaining his custody.
Initially, the TSPSC authorities suspected that it was an incident of hacking and postponed the exam for the recruitment of TPBOs which was scheduled on March 12, and Veterinary Assistant Surgeons scheduled on March 15 & 16.
Meanwhile, the police have registered a case under Section 409,420,120 (B) IPC, Section 66 (b) (c) & 70 IT Act, Section 8 of Prevention of Examinations Malpractices Act with the Begum Bazar police station.
ASO SUSPENDED, OUTSOURCED STAFFER SACKED
TSPSC has decided to suspend Assistant Section Officer Praveen Kumar with immediate effect and terminate the services of Rajasekhar Reddy, an outsourced network employee, for their alleged role in leaking the question paper of the exam held on March 5.