CHENNAI: Investigation so far by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged malpractices in the entrance examination for postgraduate medical courses conducted by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences reveals that nearly 30 candidates have benefited by the "hi-tech modus operandi" adopted in the commission of the offence.

Even as the investigating agency is crystallising the evidence it has gathered so far, it is collecting call details from the service providers as cellular phones were used to help candidates answer the questions. The beneficiaries had written the examination in about half-a-dozen centres in Chennai, a CBI officer said. The modus operandi was that questions were scanned using a "pen scanner" and the instrument was passed on to outsiders. The questions were downloaded and referred to experts who solved them and messaged the answers to candidates on cellular phones.

However, the sources say, the task of collecting evidence with regard to the phone calls is huge as the same cellphone may have been used to send messages to many others and the instrument has to be identified. In some cases, it is strongly suspected that the SIM cards have been changed and in some others the cards have been destroyed.

11 persons arrested

Eleven persons have been arrested so far. Besides 62 cellular phones, 64 SIM cards, broken parts of a "pen scanner," a laptop computer, cash totalling Rs.32 lakh and a computer printer have been seized.

Investigations reveal that one scanner used in the commission of the crime was burnt in Pondicherry. Broken parts of another scanner, which were seized from Tiruppur have been sent to the forensic science laboratory in Andhra Pradesh, which has excellent facilities for cyber forensic analysis. Investigation is still continuing, the officer said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail