In a significant crackdown on examination malpractice, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police has arrested four individuals for their alleged involvement in a sophisticated cheating network that targeted the Rajasthan High Court's 2022 recruitment examination.
The High-Tech Cheating Modus Operandi
The investigation, led by Additional Director General (SOG) Vishal Bansal, revealed an elaborate scheme. The gang allegedly imported a spy camera from Spain, costing around Rs 90,000, which was cleverly disguised as a drop-box device. Members of the network, posing as genuine candidates, used this device to capture screenshots of the question paper from inside the examination centres.
These images were then transmitted to the alleged mastermind, Paurav Kaler, and his associate Tulsaram Kaler. The Kalers had a dedicated team of solvers ready to quickly print, solve, and relay the correct answers back to the candidates in real time using Bluetooth devices.
Arrests and Candidate Details
The probe, which began after detecting unfair means in the EO–RO exam held concurrently, led to the registration of a case. A special team under Deputy Inspector General Paris Deshmukh subsequently discovered that the same gang had orchestrated the leak for the High Court recruitment exam.
The four arrested candidates, who had allegedly paid between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh each for the illicit service, have been identified. They are Dinesh Kumar and Ramesh Kumar from Churu, Manoj Kumar Boran from Sikar, and Manish Budia from Nagaur. At the time of arrest, Dinesh was posted at a court in Salumbar, Manoj at the Rajasthan Judicial Academy in Jodhpur, Ramesh at a local court in Churu, and Manish was working in Pali.
Examination and Investigation Timeline
The Rajasthan High Court's recruitment examination for the posts of Junior Judicial Assistant, Clerk Grade-II, and Assistant Clerk Grade-II was conducted on March 12 and 19, 2023. The SOG's extensive investigation, which included technical analysis and interrogation, traced the operation back to Paurav Kaler, who was arrested earlier in a related case.
The arrests of the four candidates followed a detailed scrutiny process, confirming their involvement in the paper leak and cheating conspiracy. This case highlights the ongoing challenges and sophisticated methods employed in examination fraud, prompting authorities to employ more rigorous vigilance and technological countermeasures.
