Suspects took nearly Rs 5 lakh each from all beneficiaries

Amit Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 7

The investigation into the cheating case registered by the Chandigarh Police against a PTE-Academic (Pearson Test of English) test centre manager and others has revealed that the suspects used to charge around Rs 5 lakh from candidates in the test by providing them proxy candidates, who appeared in the test. 

 At least 24 suspected beneficiaries from different parts of the country have been identified. The four suspects, who acted as agents, have been identified as Sukhmander Singh, alias Bhangu, a travel agent based in Khanna, Amit Gill, a resident of Sector 48, and Mandeep Singh Mann, a resident of Nayagaon, both partners of Rightway Tour and Travels Pvt Ltd who have their office at Elante, and Tarandeep Walia, alias Tarun, of Khanna. The test centre manager, Mandeep Sethi, is at large. 

 During the interrogation of the suspects, the investigating team found that the four suspects, who have been arrested, used to look for candidates who were ready to pay money to clear the test through proxy candidates. 

“The agents used to ask for money as per the status of the candidate,” sources said. Test centre manager Mandeep then used to arrange a proxy candidate, who would appear in the examination. 

 Police sources revealed that Mandeep Sethi used to charge Rs 3 lakh fee per candidate, but the suspects used to quote an amount above that to earn their profit. “Each of the four suspects used to get around Rs 50,000 per candidate,” the sources added.

 The police have freezed the bank accounts of the suspects, who have been arrested in the case.  

Beneficiaries, proxy candidates wore same clothes

The beneficiaries used to arrive in the city at least two days before the exam. They were taken to a store to purchase clothes, which they would wear on the day of test; the same clothes were also purchased for the proxy candidates. The original candidate first used to enter the test centre located at Elante Mall, Office Block, Industrial Area. After sometime, the candidate used to visit a washroom from where he used to leave and in return the proxy candidate wearing the same clothes used to return to the test centre and appear for the exam. 

1 beneficiary came from abroad

The police said the suspected beneficiaries were from different places, including Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Punjab. Sources said one of the beneficiaries even came from abroad to appear for the test through a proxy candidate.