Impostor caught while appearing for recruitment exam in Delhi’s Dwarka

After the exam was over, the candidate was confronted with the mismatching of the biometrics, after which he confessed to impersonating the real candidate

New Delhi A 22-year-old man was arrested and booked for impersonation and criminal conspiracy after he was caught appearing for a recruitment exam in Dwarka Sector-12 on behalf of another person, police officers aware of the case said on Tuesday.

Quoting the complaint, a police officer aware of the case said the exam was held between 2.30 pm and 5 pm on Sunday, and all candidates were granted entry to the examination hall after their identities were verified through the photograph on their admit cards and on the attendance sheet. (Representational image)

Police said the incident occurred on Sunday, during a recruitment exam for Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS). The suspect, identified as Arjun Sharma, was caught after officials of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), that organised the examination, found that his biometric details did not match with that of Manish (goes by single name) — the original candidate.

Sharma was arrested after a first information report (FIR) was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 419 and 120B at the Dwarka North police station, on the basis of a complaint by the principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya Dwarka Sector-12, the examination centre.

“The suspect had appeared in the EMRS recruitment exam for the post of junior secretariat assistant on behalf of the original candidate named Manish. Sharma’s biometrics did not match with that of Manish that was available in the database of the CBSE,” said deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Harsha Vardhan.

Quoting the complaint, a police officer aware of the case said the exam was held between 2.30 pm and 5 pm on Sunday, and all candidates were granted entry to the examination hall after their identities were verified through the photograph on their admit cards and on the attendance sheet.

Around 4.15 pm, the officials at the exam centre were notified by CBSE officials that there was a mismatch in the biometrics of a candidate named Manish.

After the exam was over, the officer added, the candidate was questioned and confronted with the mismatching of the biometrics, following which he confessed to impersonating the real candidate.

The DCP said during interrogation, Sharma revealed a friend offered him money to appear in the exam on behalf of Manish, a resident of Rohtak in Haryana. “Sharma was offered ₹50,000 for the job and was paid ₹25,000 as the first installment. The remaining money was to be paid after the exam was cleared,” the DCP said.

Police are now probing whether Sharma was part of any organised racket that facilitated “dummy candidates” in lieu of money. Efforts are also being made to nab Manish, the original candidate in the case.