: In a shocking revelation, the Cyber Cell of Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has arrested six accused persons, including three Delhi Police officials and three examination centre staff, involved in a massive police recruitment scandal, officials said on Wednesday.
The accused persons have been identified as Parveen (25), a resident of Haryana, who was selected by Delhi Police as a Sub-Inspector and joined Delhi Police last year, Shikha (29), a resident of Haryana’s Panipat who was selected in Delhi Police as a constable and joined in 2019, Vishal Kumar (29), a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur in 2019 he was selected in Delhi Police as constable, Radhe Shyam (47), a native of UP’s Saharanpur, Vikas Kumar (22), a native of Haridwar, Uttarakhand and Mohit Kumar Baliyan (43), a native of UP’s Muzaffarnagar.
The accused were allegedly engaged in cheating, impersonation, and subverting the recruitment process for Delhi Police constables. The arrest comes after a meticulous investigation following a complaint filed against the malpractices employed during the recruitment process.
Ravindra Singh Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police Crime Branch stated that the case was registered under sections 419 (cheating by impersonation), 420 (cheating), and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
These charges highlight the severity of their actions and the potential consequences they face for their involvement in undermining the integrity
of the recruitment process.
Adding further Yadav said, the investigation was initiated based on allegations raised against a candidate named Arjun Singh from Saharanpur (UP), who purportedly cleared the Delhi Police Male and Female Constables (Executive) Exam conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) in 2020. Further probing revealed that Arjun Singh employed illegal means to secure his success.
During questioning, Arjun Singh revealed that he arranged for a fake candidate to appear in his place during the examination. The examination centre, located at iON Digital Zone on the Roorkee-Dehradun Highway in Uttarakhand, became the epicentre of the fraudulent activity.
Detailed analysis of CCTV footage obtained from the SSC exposed the modus operandi employed by the accused, Yadav said.
The investigation team, led by Inspector Virendra Singh, meticulously connected the dots and apprehended the suspects one by one. The arrest of SI Praveen Kumar, who appeared on behalf of Arjun Singh during the examination, was a significant breakthrough in unravelling the conspiracy. Further questioning led to the arrests of Constable Vishal and Woman Constable Shikha, who were implicated in the plot, Special CP mentioned.
During interrogations, the accused individuals divulged their involvement and shared intricate details of the scam. Vishal Kumar disclosed that he had met Woman Constable Shikha in 2020 at Mangolpuri Police Station, Delhi, where she offered to help him clear any examination for a fee.
Vishal Kumar then introduced his friend Arjun Singh, who had applied for the Delhi Police Constable post, to the scam. A payment of Rs 9 lakh was allegedly agreed upon for securing Arjun Singh’s selection. Consequently, Praveen Kumar was arranged to appear as a fake candidate during the examination, the official stated.
The investigation also led to the arrests of Radhe Shyam and Vikas Kumar, who were part of the examination centre’s staff. They allegedly facilitated the impersonator’s entry into the examination hall as directed by Mohit Kumar Baliyan, the IT Head of Network Admin at iON Digital Zone.
Baliyan, in addition to his role in facilitating the impersonation, also tampered with the CCTV footage of the venue, further complicating the investigation, Yadav added.