The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Police begin probe into question paper leak Police probe alleged paper leak in re-examination for constable selection

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 10, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Police begin probe into question paper leak Police probe alleged paper leak in re-examination for constable selection

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Candidates for constable posts fear cancellation of the test Thousands of candidates fear cancellation of the test

CHENNAI: A discreet inquiry by the police is on following allegations that the question paper for the re-examination conducted for the selection of grade II constables had leaked.

Officials are tight-lipped. However, a senior police officer said an inquiry was being conducted following reports in a section of the press that there was a leak of the question paper. The inquiry covered 10 police personnel.

On June 1, nearly 50,000 candidates, both men and women, wrote the general knowledge examination again.

The re-examination was held following press reports that the question paper had leaked.

The recruitment was to fill 2,000 posts, of which 1,400 were for men. The examination was conducted in 14 centres.

Of this, about 1,750 candidates wrote the examination at the Rajarathinam Stadium, Egmore. The sources say this is for the first time that there are allegations of question paper leak even when the re-examination was conducted.

Jeevarathinam, one of the constables, who was questioned, was run over by a train a few days ago. The police alleged that the victim had committed suicide, jumping in front of the train.

Thousands of candidates fear cancellation of the examination following rumours that the question paper was leaked again. Police sources said it was suspected that those who masterminded the question paper leak when the examination was first held on March 27 this year were involved again. Though the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) was asked to conduct an informal inquiry, the second leak could not be prevented since huge sums of money was involved in the racket, say senior police officials.

Official sources said the second question paper leak was "selective." Some police personnel who took money for providing the question paper ensured that it leaked again and was supplied to candidates who made payments. "It appears to be a racket involving many policemen across the State.

When the re-examination was ordered, some candidates demanded the money back and even threatened to file a complaint. However, the accused promised them to provide the question papers," a senior police official told The Hindu .

The modus operandi of the second leak is almost established and it is likely that the re-examination will be cancelled.

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