PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
The Special Task Force (STF) has arrested the main accused in the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam cheating case from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. The accused was identified as Shubham Bhatnagar. Police said he was the mastermind of a gang that helped candidates cheat in the SSC online examination held in Dehradun on February 13 this year.
According to STF officials, the accused used to run a lab named Mahadev Digital Lab at Mahadevi Kanya Pathshala in Dehradun. The centre was being used as an examination venue for SSC multi-tasking staff and Havaldar online exams. Police said the gang used remote access systems to help candidates cheat during the test.
During the earlier raid, STF had found an underground chamber in the UPS room near the exam lab. Officials said it was being used to operate illegal systems and give unfair help to candidates during the examination. The lab equipment and technical devices were seized by the police.
Two accused, Nitish Kumar and Bhaskar Naithani, were arrested earlier in the same case. After the raid, Shubham Bhatnagar had gone absconding. STF teams were working continuously to trace him.
STF senior superintendent of police Ajai Singh said the accused used to demand money from candidates by promising to help them pass the exam. The amount was allegedly fixed according to the grade pay of the post after selection. Police said the accused is being questioned and more information is expected to come out during the investigation.
