Aspirants got solved paper 3 to 4 days before exam

Candidates residing in Mandi, Kullu, Solan and Bilaspur received copies of question paper on March 23 and 24

SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: Photocopies of the solved question paper of the leaked Himachal Pradesh Police constable recruitment examination were delivered to candidates residing in Mandi, Kullu, Solan and Bilaspur around three-four days before the screening test.

One of the main accused in the paper leak case, Manoj Thakur of Mandi, said the photocopies reached the candidates who had paid for the question paper on March 23 and 24. Thakur, who was also involved in the 2009 combined pre-medical test (CPMT) paper leak, had coordinated with the agents, who delivered the photocopies to the candidates.

An official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Chandergupt, a Nepalese man, had delivered the photocopies to Manoj on March 23 in Mandi. They were distributed to candidates residing in Mandi, Solan, Kullu and Bilaspur. Initially, Chandergupt had asked Thakur to come to Zirakpur to receive the delivery but he refused. The gang coordinated with each other through WhatsApp calls.”

Thakur had disposed of three mobile phones after news of the paper leak broke.

The phones have been recovered and sent for data analysis. “It was a well-oiled network. Each person was assigned a spehad cific task be it solving the question paper or delivering soft copies and photocopies, collecting payments in cash and delivering them to the main accused.” The mastermind of the paper leak is still at large. Nearly, 75,000 candidates had appeared in the written examination, and the leaked paper was sold to around 2,000 candidates. The accused charged ₹5-8 lakhs per candidate for the question paper.

Recruitment Rules revised in 2021

The state’s home department notified the revised Himachal Pradesh Police Department Recruitment (Recruitment of Constable Rules) in 2021, providing for the constitution of Himachal Pradesh Police Recruitment Board and starting the online process for inviting applications.

The board comprised additional director general of police (armed police and training), all inspectors generals (IGs range, welfare and administration) and deputy inspectors general (DIGs, range).

The Board was entrusted with the responsibility of supervising the recruitment process. At district level, the recruitment committee was headed by range IG/ DIG.

It comprised one commandant of the state police battalion nominated by the DIG or superintendents of police (SPs) of the concerned districts and one medical officer nominated by the chief medical officer.

NEARLY, 75,000 CANDIDATES HAD APPEARED FOR TEST, LEAKED PAPER WAS SOLD TO AROUND 2,000 CANDIDATES