Lucknow: In a significant development, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) arrested a government doctor on Saturday in connection with the alleged leak of question papers for the state police recruitment examination.
Dr Shubham Mandal, a resident of Bihar, working at a government-run primary health centre in Bihar was detained by the STF's Meerut unit, marking a crucial breakthrough in the ongoing investigation.
“Mandal was one of the accused who leaked the question paper stored in a warehouse in Ahmedabad,” read the press statement, reports PTI.
The arrest comes in the wake of intensive scrutiny following the cancellation of the Uttar Pradesh police recruitment test held on February 17 and 18, due to the leak of examination materials.
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Sources indicate that Dr Mandal's involvement is allegedly linked to an interstate gang engaged in the unauthorized dissemination of government recruitment exam papers. Investigations suggest collusion between former and current employees of a company entrusted with transporting question papers, leading to the compromise of examination integrity.
The arrest of Dr Mandal brings the tally of apprehended suspects in the case to 55, as confirmed by police authorities. More than 48 lakh candidates had appeared for the test across the state on the two dates.
Following the incident, the Uttar Pradesh government initiated a thorough investigation and announced plans for a re-test. Furthermore, administrative changes ensued, with the removal of Renuka Mishra from her position as the chairperson of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board. Vigilance Director Rajiv Krishna was subsequently entrusted with the interim responsibility of the board.
Dr Mandal's name will be included in the First Information Report (FIR) registered in Meerut pertaining to the case.
As per a media report in The Indian Express, In a press release, the STF said that Shubham, a resident of Patna, is posted at a primary health centre in Katihar district of Bihar. He did his MBBS degree from Nalanda Medical College, it said. Shubham and his friend Bittu, who completed his MBBS degree from Patna Medical College in 2021, were booked in 2017 in connection with the leak of NEET question paper, the release added.
The case has been registered under Indian Penal Code sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating by inducement), 467 (forgery of valuable documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 386 (extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt) at Kankarkheda police station in Meerut.
The unfolding saga underscores the imperative for stringent measures to safeguard the integrity of recruitment processes and uphold the trust of aspiring candidates.
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