Thirty individuals, primarily from Aurangabad, Beed, and Jalna, have been apprehended for their involvement in a cheating scandal during the recent police recruitment drive in Mumbai. These individuals employed innovative methods, such as using pens with GSM SIM cards, spy earpieces, and GSM card transmitters disguised as debit cards, to cheat during the written examination.
According to the police, the accused paid significant amounts, ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh, to coaching class owners from the Marathwada region and some Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) aspirants. These individuals played a crucial role in helping candidates cheat by providing them with answers. One FIR was filed at various police stations, and five teams were established to investigate the cases.
The recruitment drive aimed to fill 8,070 positions, including 7,076 constable posts and 994 driver posts. A total of 78,522 candidates participated in the written exams, which took place at 213 centers throughout the city on May 7.
During the examination, invigilators noticed suspicious movements by certain candidates. As a result, the police questioned five aspirants and examined their answer sheets. It was discovered that some candidates were writing answers without even reading the questions. GSM card transmitters and tiny earpieces were found concealed in the ears of the suspects, which could only be removed with the assistance of an ENT specialist. The police also revealed that some of the accused used button cameras to take photos of the question papers, with outsiders dictating the answers to the candidates through tiny microphones.
The accused candidates could receive dictations without having to answer phone calls since the transmitters automatically answered calls. The devices were one-way receivers, allowing the accused individuals to write answers without checking the questions. In some cases, candidates unknowingly wrote answers for different question paper sets, resulting in completely incorrect responses.
The police suspect that the coaching class owners and their modus operandi may have been used in other competitive examinations as well. They are currently investigating this possibility. Additionally, it was discovered that a few candidates exchanged RFID tags with more capable runners who acted as dummies during the examination.
Rahul Kavathekar, president of the Maharashtra Competitive Exams Coordination Committee, revealed that these gangs typically operate from villages in Maharashtra, such as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Jalna. This trend, initially observed in Marathwada, is now spreading to Solapur, Sangli, and Kolhapur.
The police authorities have made significant strides in apprehending these culprits, but the incident highlights the need for stricter measures to prevent cheating during recruitment drives and competitive examinations. The use of sophisticated technology and collaboration between coaching class owners, aspirants, and outsiders emphasizes the necessity for additional security protocols.
Moving forward, it is crucial for authorities to implement foolproof systems that deter cheating and protect the integrity of recruitment processes. This incident serves as a wake-up call for examination boards and law enforcement agencies to devise effective strategies and safeguard the fairness of such procedures.
