Lucknow: In a joint operation by Siddharthnagar Police and Uttar Pradesh special task force (STF), four persons involved in the question paper leak of the UP civil police direct recruitment examination were arrested Wednesday.
The four were identified as Bittu Kumar Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Gaud, Nataraj Prajapati and Jitendra Kumar Bharti. Probe revealed that Bittu got the paper from his associates in Bihar on WhatsApp while the other accused arranged the candidates. Teams are in Bihar to arrest Bittu’s associates and to reach the key accused behind the paper leak.
Police seized mark sheets, certificates, blank cheques, books, passbooks, stamps, agreements, application forms, admit cards, mobile phones, laptops, ATM cards, identity cards and railway tickets, among other things from the possession of those arrested.
Siddharthnagar SP Prachi Singh said joint teams of STF and Itwa Police of the district intercepted the gang members at Shohratgarh crossing. During interrogation, it was learnt that Bharti had received Rs 3 lakh each from 180 candidates, giving them a guarantee of selection.
“Prior to the examination, Bharti and the candidates exchanged original mark sheets and blank cheques and the answer key was transmitted via WhatsApp. Bharti confessed to receiving advances ranging from Rs 20,000-50,000 from multiple candidates, along with photocopies of mark sheets, admit cards and blank cheques. He then distributed the answer keys through WhatsApp to candidates and solvers ahead of the police recruitment examination,” said SP Singh.
Further investigation revealed that Bharti obtained the answer key from Sanjay Gaur and Bittu, who had received it from Chhapra in Bihar, via Anup Pandey, said the SP. “Sanjay, in turn, indicated that Nataraj Prajapati provided him with the answer key on WhatsApp. The accused admitted to retaining money, blank cheques and mark sheets from candidates as security, with a prearranged agreement to receive Rs 3lakh upon successful completion of the examination,” the SP added.
Sources said Bittu has links with the leading opposition party in the state. It has also surfaced that the gang members have leaked papers of police examinations in Bihar, West Bengal and other states. One of the accused, Sanjay, has also served jail term in the past in a paper leak case of another exam.
