Chandigarh: 17 held for cheating, impersonating candidates in Navodaya Vidyalaya recruitment exam

Chandigarh Police are investigating if these accused were working as part of a larger nexus; their devices and call records are under scrutiny, a police officer said

Chandigarh Police arrested 17 individualsacross four examination centres in the city for impersonating candidates and using electronic devices during the Navodaya Vidyalaya recruitment examination conducted on Sunday. The arrests were made following complaints from school principals.

The largest crackdown took place at Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School, Sector 40-C, Chandigarh, where 12 people, including three women, were arrested for using electronic devices during the exam. An FIR was registered at the Sector 39 police station. (HT Photo)

An FIR was registered at the Sector 26 police station based on a complaint filed by the principal of Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School, Sector 27, where two impersonators were caught red-handed. The accused, Ajay Kumar, 23, of Sangwan village in Bhiwani, and Monika Devi, 27, of Chattar village in Jind, were appearing on behalf of candidates Vikram from Hisar and Pooja from Narwana, respectively. Biometric mismatches at the entry point raised suspicion, and further verification revealed that both were impersonating the said candidates. One of them was also found carrying an electronic device suspected to be used for cheating.

In another case at Mount Carmel School, Sector 47, 28-year old Vishal Malik, a resident of Kanwas village in Hisar, was caught using an electronic device during the examination. An FIR was lodged at the Sector 31 police station.

At St Anne’s Convent School, Sector 32, two candidates, Ajay Kumar from Rohtak and Sonu Kumar from Hisar, were also caught using electronic gadgets during the exam, leading to the registration of an FIR at the Sector 34 police station.

The largest crackdown took place at Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary Public School, Sector 40-C, where 12 people, including three women, were arrested for using electronic devices during the exam. An FIR was registered at the Sector 39 police station.

Police suspect a well-organised cheating racket. “We are investigating if these accused were working as part of a larger nexus. Their devices and call records are under scrutiny,” said a police officer.