Shimla: Six months after the police constable recruitment exam paper leak, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) finally took over the probe by registering two FIRs in Chandigarh.
The Himachal Government gave its consent for the transfer of the case to the CBI on May 18. Prior to that, the Himachal Government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the constable paper leak case.
Around 75,000 candidates appeared in the written exam for the recruitment of constables in the police department on March 27, the result of which was declared on April 5.
Soon after the exam, a WhatsApp chat was widely shared, triggering fear that the paper had been leaked. Senior police officials dismissed them as rumours.
The leak was detected on May 6 when Kangra police, on the basis of suspicion, arrested three candidates who later admitted to having seen the solved paper before the exam.
Subsequently, a first information report (FIR) was registered at Gaggal police station in Kangra under Sections 420 (cheating), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence or proving false information) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. At the same time, the state government cancelled the exam.
Two FIRs were registered at the state CID police station, Bharari, in Shimla and Arki in Solan district.
Following the mounting pressure on Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur from the opposition Congress party, the case was handed over to the CBI on May 18.
