In a significant crackdown on examination malpractice, the Jaipur city police have successfully dismantled a dummy-candidate racket targeting the Railway Recruitment Board's Group D examination. The operation led to the arrest of two individuals, including a man with a long history of arranging imposters for competitive tests.
Biometric Mismatch Uncovers the Fraud
The racket came to light on December 10 during the first shift of the online exam at a centre in Sitapura, Jaipur. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Rajarshi Raj Varma stated that authorities detected a biometric mismatch during the entry verification process. The accused, Rishabh Ranjan, had arrived posing as the genuine candidate, Abhishek Meena, using his admit card and identity documents. However, his facial features did not match the biometric data on record, triggering immediate suspicion.
The Mastermind and His Modus Operandi
Following a complaint, the Sanganer Sadar police registered an FIR and swiftly traced and arrested Rishabh Ranjan. Their investigation also led to the arrest of his accomplice, Gautam Kumar, who police describe as a seasoned operator of dummy candidates.
Police revealed that Kumar has a long record of such fraud, having allegedly appeared in nearly 10 recruitment exams himself across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. His modus operandi involved arranging imposters for various competitive exams. He allegedly charged Rs 30,000 in advance and a staggering Rs 1.25 lakh after the exam upon successful completion. From Kumar, the police claim to have recovered Rs 31,250, which was reportedly the advance payment for this specific Railway Group D exam.
Ongoing Investigation and Past Record
Rishabh Ranjan has been sent to judicial custody, while Gautam Kumar is under intensive interrogation. Police are grilling Kumar to identify other exams where dummy candidates were used, uncover the real candidates involved, and find possible local facilitators in Jaipur. Both accused are natives of Bihar.
Investigators disclosed that Gautam Kumar was previously caught in similar cases in Kanpur, Prayagraj, and Kanota near Jaipur, highlighting his repeated involvement in such scams. The Railway Group D exam was being conducted by a private agency in three daily shifts starting November 29, with strict biometric verification protocols in place, which ultimately foiled this attempt.
With the investigation now expanding, police have indicated that further arrests are likely as they delve deeper into the network of this interstate racket.
