E-Paper
RO/ARO exam: Two more in STF net in paper leak case
Uttar Pradesh STF arrests two more suspects in UPPSC exam paper leak case; investigation reveals a network selling papers for ₹12-15 lakh.
In a significant breakthrough, Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested two more people involved in the question paper leak of UPPSC Review Officer/Assistant Review Officer (RO/ARO) (Preliminary) Exam 2023, which was conducted on February 11 of this year, it said. The arrested men were identified as Rajneesh Kumar from Azamgarh and Dharmesh Seth from Prayagraj.
The arrests took place on December 22, 2024 in Kanpur and Gorakhpur, according to STF. While Kumar was detained in Gorakhpur, Seth was apprehended at Har Sahai Jagdamba College in Kanpur.
The leak was first detected when the question paper went viral on social media before the exam. This led to the state government cancelling the examination and asking the STF to investigate the matter. A case was registered at the Civil Lines police station in Prayagraj.
The STF probe revealed that the accused had received the question paper from Sandeep Pandey, who had arranged for the exam material to be delivered in Bhopal. Sandeep Pandey, along with several accomplices, had reportedly sold the paper for ₹12-15 lakh. Pandey and his associates were arrested earlier in June.
The arrested suspects face charges under multiple sections of the IPC, including cheating, forgery, and conspiracy, as well as violations of the Uttar Pradesh Public Examination Act. Further legal proceedings are underway.
