A major cheating racket linked to the national-level GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) exam has been busted in Raipur, with six persons arrested and a Haryana connection emerging during the probe.
The operation was carried out by a joint team of DD Nagar Police and the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU) near the Ayann Digital Zone examination centre in Sarona, Chhattisgarh.
Acting on specific inputs, police kept surveillance around the centre and intercepted suspects found carrying electronic gadgets allegedly meant for use in the exam fraud.
BLUETOOTH DEVICES USED TO RELAY ANSWERS
According to investigators, the accused used concealed micro Bluetooth earpieces and compact electronic devices to pass answers to candidates inside the examination hall.
Police said candidates allegedly transmitted questions to associates stationed outside the centre. The external team then searched for answers using mobile phones and internet resources and relayed them back in real time through Bluetooth communication.
Officials described the setup as a coordinated network with clearly assigned roles. The accused allegedly charged candidates a substantial sum in exchange for facilitating the malpractice.
During the operation, police seized three micro Bluetooth earpieces, four Bluetooth-enabled devices, eight mobile phones, three SIM cards and other materials suspected to have been used in the cheating attempt. Coordination with exam authorities also led to the identification of candidates allegedly using the devices inside the examination hall.
HARYANA LINK EMERGES IN PROBE
Investigations have revealed that all six arrested accused are residents of Haryana, from districts including Jhajjar, Fatehabad and Hisar.
Police believe they travelled to Raipur specifically to execute the plan during the GATE examination.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Darshan Sehrawat, Sumit Sehrawat, Lakshminarayan alias Lucky, Amar, Narendra Kumar and Bunty Kumar.
CASE REGISTERED, FURTHER PROBE ON
A case has been registered at DD Nagar Police Station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act and the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act. The accused have been sent on judicial remand.
Officials said further investigation is underway to identify other possible members of the network, including candidates who may have benefited from the racket. Police added that surveillance and enforcement during competitive examinations will be intensified in view of the increasing misuse of technology in exam fraud cases.
