No gang involvement found in service selection exam paper leak case: Uttarakhand Police

Dehradun, Sep 21 (PTI) Police on Sunday said no organised gang's involvement has been found so far in the alleged leak of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level exam paper, even as the Congress attacked the state government over the issue.

The commission had earlier sought a detailed police probe into the matter, with its chairman Ganesh Singh Martolia admitting that three pages of the question paper has been leaked from a centre.

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ajay Singh said that photos of some exam questions were sent from a centre, and the accused have been identified.

Strong evidence has been collected against them, he added.

The officer further said that social activist Bobby Panwar is also under suspicion for allegedly circulating screenshots of the paper on social media without verification in a bid to sensationalise the matter. Commission chairman Ganesh Singh Martolia said, "This is not a case of full-fledged paper leak, though three pages of the question paper being leaked is a matter of concern. If they have been leaked, it is possible they may have been taken elsewhere or solved by someone." Martolia said mobile jammers had been installed at all centres, and the commission was surprised at how some pages still leaked.

He said the commission has sought a probe by the Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and the special task force. An internal inquiry is also being conducted to identify the centre from where the pages leaked, he added.

On Saturday, police arrested two accused -- Hakam Singh, a resident of Uttarkashi, and his associate Pankaj Gaur -- for allegedly luring aspirants with the promise of clearing the exam for Rs 12 to 15 lakh. Singh had been arrested earlier on similar charges.

Uttarakhand Congress president Karan Mahara hit out at the BJP, alleging that the Pushkar Singh Dhami government has failed to curb the paper leak mafia despite enacting a stringent anti-cheating law.

This is another betrayal by the Dhami government for the state's youth, who have been waiting for jobs for years, he said in a statement issued here.

Mahara said, "The Dhami government had enacted the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measures for Prevention and Control of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, calling it the country's most stringent anti-cheating law. However, all those claims have proven hollow and empty." He said that the Congress party had previously expressed apprehension that the government was protecting prominent leaders and high officials in the entire case.

He alleged that the mafia is still active in the state while the government remains “inactive,” and said the Congress will fight at every level to protect the interests of the youth. PTI DPT OZ OZ