Thursday, 01 September 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Authorities preparing to seize illegal assets of arrested accused
The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) arrested a henchman of Uttar Pradesh based nexus facilitating examination malpractices, Firoz Haider from Panaji in Goa on Wednesday in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam paper leak case. This is the 30th arrest by the STF in this case so far. The senior superintendent of police (SSP) of STF, Ajai Singh said that the accused Haider was a member of the nexus in Lucknow who came to Haldwani with the leaked question paper of the examination allegedly with some of his companions to hand it over to another accused Shashikant who was nabbed by STF earlier on Sunday.
Shashikant was also involved in the operation of four online examination centres in Haldwani, Almora, Champawat and Pithoragarh where he allegedly conducted over 40 online exams. The SSP informed that the STF has already arrested the right hand man of Shashikant, Balwant Singh Rautela on Tuesday who leaked the question paper to about 40 aspirants in resorts in Nainital and now the arrest of their another accomplice Firoz Haider will also unveil important facts and evidence in the case. He said that Haider was arrested on the basis of the inquiry with the other arrested accused and evidence gathered by the STF teams. He said that a team was sent to Goa to gather the information on the suspect where they finally nabbed him. The STF has already established his association with another accused Kendrapal besides confirming that Haider went to Dhampur in Uttar Pradesh where many aspirants were allegedly gathered to help them memorize answers to the leaked paper the night before the examination, stated Singh.
The SSP also informed that the authorities are also preparing an action plan to seize the illegal properties and investments of all accused as many have generated assets worth many lakhs and crores of rupees through illegal means. He said that some team members have already been sent to Uttarkashi, Ramnagar, Dhampur and Lucknow to assess the assets of the major accused in the case. He said that the STF will soon start this new operation after gathering all the required documents and details.
