Arunachal: Police arrest 53 in pan-India CBSE exam cheating racket

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: In a major crackdown on examination fraud, Capital Police in Arunachal Pradesh have uncovered a sophisticated interstate cheating syndicate operating during the CBSE-conducted recruitment exams held on Sunday last, for lab assistant and junior secretariat assistant (JSA) posts under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).

A total of 53 candidates have been arrested for attempting to use advanced electronic devices, including GSM-enabled gadgets and micro earpieces, to cheat during the exams. Authorities have also seized 29 devices, with multiple accused already confessing to their involvement, Capital superintendent of police Rohit Rajbir Singh told a press conference here, on Tuesday.

The syndicate, allegedly coordinated by a Haryana-based network with suspected national links, targeted exam centers in remote locations like Itanagar, Dimapur and Chandigarh, chosen deliberately to exploit perceived security lapses, he said.

Acting on credible inputs from school authorities, the Niti Vihar police station, in coordination with Kingcup Public School here, apprehended 23 candidates during pre-exam frisking.

Another suspect from Haryana was caught by Chimpu police station at Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya here, also in possession of similar concealed communication equipment, the SP said.

Subsequent investigations led to the identification and arrest of 53 individuals across exam centres, all of whom have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, sections 10 and 11 of the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.

Separate FIRs have been registered at Niti Vihar and Chimpu Police Station, Singh said.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the racket began soon after the CBSE issued its 2024 recruitment notice. Middlemen approached candidates and their families, promising guaranteed selection in exchange for large sums of money.

The gang manipulated exam centre choices to divert candidates to distant locations, reducing the risk of detection. Once admit cards were issued, candidates were supplied with GSM-based devices and trained in their discreet use, he said.

On exam day, the gadgets, hidden in undergarments and ears, enabled real-time communication with external handlers. Candidates whispered the question paper code into the device, and answers were relayed back immediately, the SP disclosed.

Recovered digital evidence, including call logs, SIM cards, WhatsApp chats, and device configurations, is now undergoing forensic examination, he said.

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