The Vishrantwadi police in Pune have taken legal action against a young man from Haryana for allegedly attempting to cheat the system by appearing for a written examination in place of another candidate. The incident occurred during a recruitment drive conducted by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
How the Proxy Candidate Was Caught
The Border Roads Organisation was holding written tests for the post of drivers at its Dhanori centre on December 3. As part of their vigilant protocol, the authorities were recording the examination process using handheld cameras. A thorough review of this footage later revealed a critical discrepancy.
Officials noticed that the individual sitting for the exam did not match the photograph or details on the original hall ticket. Upon immediate verification, it was confirmed that the person was a proxy. Sub-inspector Padmaraj Gample of the Vishrantwadi police stated that the candidate was in possession of a forged hall ticket that bore his own photograph instead of the genuine applicant's.
Formal Complaint and Police Action
The case came to light after a 59-year-old engineer employed with the BRO filed an official complaint with the Vishrantwadi police station on Saturday. Based on this complaint, the police registered a case of impersonation and cheating against the 24-year-old accused from Haryana.
This is not an isolated incident in the recent past. Inspector Gample revealed a concerning pattern, noting, "In the last two days, we have registered two separate cases of impersonation against youths from Haryana for impersonating and appearing as proxies for other candidates." This statement highlights a potentially organized attempt to undermine the recruitment process for government posts.
Broader Implications for Recruitment Exams
The incident throws a spotlight on the challenges faced by recruiting agencies in maintaining the integrity of competitive examinations. The proactive step of video recording candidates proved crucial in uncovering this fraud. The BRO officials, after verifying the identity of the imposter, promptly approached the police with their complaint, leading to the registration of the case.
Such cases of impersonation and the use of forged documents not only cheat the system but also deprive genuine candidates of fair opportunities. The police investigation is ongoing to determine if there is a larger network behind these proxy appearances and to identify the original candidate who sought to use fraudulent means to secure the job.
