Over 50 Haryana residents arrested in Arunachal for cheating in recruitment exam

The Arunachal Pradesh police arrested over 50 people from Haryana in the state for allegedly cheating in a recruitment examination conducted by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).

Addressing a press conference, Superintendent of Police (Capital) Rohit Rajbir Singh said that the individuals were arrested for allegedly using electronic devices to cheat in the examination.

The exam was held on May 18 for the recruitment of lab assistants and junior secretariat assistants (JSA).

The NVS routinely holds recruitment exams to fill vacancies in its schools and offices.

"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. From them, 29 devices were seized, and many of those arrested have already confessed to their crimes," Singh said.

The syndicate allegedly coordinated by a Haryana-based network targeted exam centres in remote locations, like Itanagar and Dimapur, which were chosen deliberately to exploit perceived security lapses, he said.

Acting on credible inputs, 23 candidates were apprehended during pre-exam frisking at the Kingcup Public School, he said.

Another suspect was caught from the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya, he said.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of the rest of the accused, he added.

All of them have been booked under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, IT Act, and the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, the SP said.

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

Singh said the preliminary investigation revealed that the racket 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," he said.

"The CBSE has been officially notified, and investigation teams have been sent to Haryana to apprehend key handlers and middlemen," Singh said.

Similar incidents were also reported for Gangtok, Chandigarh, and Shimla, which suggests a nationwide racket, prompting a deeper probe into its scale and reach, he said.