Karam Prakash
Patiala, November 17
The suspects arrested in the naib tehsildar recruitment ‘scam’ revealed that they had facilitated candidates in other state-level competitive examinations in the past. However, the police said they were corroborating these claims to check their veracity. A senior police officer privy to the investigation said, “The suspects in police custody have confessed that they helped other candidates in cheating in examinations in the state and in Haryana.”
Jammers not installed
- According to the police, mobile and/or signal jammers were not installed at the examination centres and this helped the candidates in using unfair means
- “Had jammers been installed, cheating would have not been possible since the suspects used mobile phones and GSM devices,” said an investigating officer
The police said they would soon arrest the candidates who had indulged in cheating. So far, the investigation has revealed that nine candidates had resorted to the cheating in the examination with the help of the suspects. “Further investigation could reveal that more candidates had cheated in the examination,” said a police officer.
Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was one of the first to raise the issue, has also claimed that 80 candidates from just one centre had cleared the examination held for recruiting 418 veterinary officers in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development. That exam of veterinary officers was also conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).
PPSC Chairman Jagbans Singh and Secretary Simerpreet Kaur could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.
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