Ranchi- The Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC recruitment examinations, has uncovered what investigators describe as a sophisticated examination fraud network involving manipulation of results and the unauthorised removal of answer scripts from secure strong rooms.
According to the investigation, answer scripts were allegedly taken out of highly secured storage facilities, rewritten by experts at hotels and rented accommodations, and then secretly returned to the strong rooms. The revelations have emerged during the questioning of arrested employees, directors of examination-conducting agencies and alleged middlemen.
The CID’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) is now examining technical records, server logs and financial transactions to determine the full extent of the alleged racket and identify everyone involved.
Investigators have found that outsourced agencies involved in conducting examinations allegedly developed specialised software and online portals capable of manipulating examination data and results.
During questioning, accused Hemant Verma, an employee of vendor agency TSR Data Processing Pvt Ltd, allegedly told investigators that the method used in Jharkhand was similar to irregularities reported in the Uttar Pradesh RO-ARO examination.
According to his statement, directors of TDPL allegedly joined hands with a private company in 2025 to develop customised software for JPSC examinations. The software allegedly allowed operators to identify preferred candidates even before the examinations and subsequently modify their answers through the database.
The CID has also gathered information about alleged manipulation during the main examination. According to statements recorded during the probe, answer scripts were deposited in the JPSC strong room after the examination, following which blank answer sheets of selected candidates were allegedly removed secretly.
The scripts were then allegedly handed over by TDPL directors Ramveer Singh, Satyapal Singh, Pradeep Kumar Singh and Mohammad Usmani to subject experts at hotels and rented accommodations. In the presence of the concerned candidates, answers were allegedly written into the scripts before the documents were secretly taken back to the strong room.
Another accused, Abhay Tiwari, allegedly told investigators that after the preliminary examination for the posts of Assistant Conservator of Forest and Forest Range Officer, a room was rented at Hari Om Tower in Ranchi on the pretext of preparing for the main examination.
According to his statement, agents associated with the alleged racket brought subject experts from Punjab, Haryana and Lucknow to write answers on behalf of candidates.
The investigation has also uncovered allegations of attempts to increase candidates’ marks after the answer-writing process. Investigators are looking into claims that professors from different colleges and universities were approached to influence the evaluation of answer scripts.
In his statement to the CID, Abhay Tiwari allegedly claimed that he paid Rs 40 lakh for getting answer scripts written and securing higher marks for candidates.
The latest findings have widened the scope of the investigation, with the CID now trying to establish how the alleged network operated, how many examinations and candidates may have been affected, and where the money involved in the racket ultimately went.
The allegations, if established, could raise serious questions about the security of recruitment examinations in the state, particularly the systems used to protect answer scripts, examination data and result-processing software.
The CID is continuing its investigation, and further action is expected as investigators analyse digital evidence, financial transactions and the statements of the accused and other people allegedly linked to the network.
With inputs from IANS