Kingpin of gangs involved in paper leaks nabbed in Baghpat

LUCKNOW: The kingpin of multiple gangs involved in question paper leaks and using solvers in various examinations for government jobs was arrested by the UP Special Task Force (STF) from Baghpat district on Monday night.

The accused was involved in these activities for at least eight years and was wanted in a similar case lodged in Baghpat in December 2018, after the arrest of seven members of his gang, said police.

Abhishek Singh, SSP, STF said the accused Ankit Punia of Meerut earlier worked in a multi-national company before joining a solvers’ gang operated by one Arvind Rana of Baghpat. Punia later parted ways with Rana after a dispute over his share in the money earned through the racket and formed his own gang, he said.

The SSP said Rana banked on Punia for managing solvers and leaking question papers in recruitment examinations. After leaving Rana’s gang, Punia expanded his network and gradually wiped off the former’s gang by offering more money to people working with him.

In eight years, Punia’s name never surfaced in any of the cases as his gang members did not reveal his name. He used to assure legal and financial assistance to families of his gang members, said Singh.

However, the kingpin’s name surfaced recently when the solvers’ gang was busted during the village development officers recruitment exam organised by UP Subordinate Service Selection Committee in Badaut, Baghpat on December 27, 2018, added the officer.

He said seven members of the gang were arrested while four other key members, including Punia, were at large since then.

STF sleuths were tracking Punia’s movement since then and arrested him from Baghpat when he visited there to meet one of his accomplices on Thursday night, he said.