The Crime Branch of Chandigarh Police on Tuesday arrested three persons named- Naresh, Hardeep and Chander Kant, who were trying to cheat in ASI recruitment examination. The accused have been identified as Naresh, (33), Hardeep (32), natives of Jind, Haryana and residing in Chandigarh; Chander Kant @ Channu (29), resident of Mani Majra, Chandigarh.
The Chandigarh Police said that they have arrested a constable, a cyber cafe owner and a senior accountant posted at the Punjab Accountant General’s office for allegedly uploading multiple applications with different particulars for the upcoming recruitment of Assistant Sub Inspector (ASIs) in the force. The written tests for recruitment of 49 Assistant Sub Inspectors in the force is scheduled to be held on December 18. Police said Kant’s email id and computer system was used for filling and uploading two forms.
In the released statement, the Chandigarh senior police officer said that the Crime Branch was given a task to verify certain suspicious application forms and after verification FIR (166) on November 11, 2022 under Sections 419,420 and 511; 467,468,471,120B of IPC at Police Station -11, Chandigarh was registered.
He said that in course of investigation, it was found that Naresh working as Constable in Chandigarh police along with Hardeep, who is serving in AG, Punjab, Sector-17, Chandigarh submitted fake application form with the connivance of Chander Kant, owner of cyber café. All the three accused has been arrested and will be produced in the court to obtain police remand, he added.
SP (Crime) Manoj Kumar Meena said, “Constable Naresh Kumar had filed two forms for the ASI recruitment exams. He filed one form with all correct particulars — like name, age, educational qualifications, residential address. In the second form, Naresh filled up all the correct information except his educational qualification and attached the picture of Hardeep Singh, instead of his own. Hardeep Singh was also involved in the planning. The cyber cafe owner, Chander Kant, was aware about these wrong doings. He assisted them by allowing them to use his email id etc. All the three men have been arrested after thorough investigations that determined malafide intent. We have learnt that Hardeep has once before been arrested in a recruitment-related case.” Meena also rejected reports that the ASI recruitment exams for 49 posts may be cancelled and confirmed that there were no plans to change the recruitment date from December 18.
Police said that the arrested constable Naresh Kumar and Hardeep had known each others for the last two years and were both natives of Jind district in Haryana.
A total 15,802 applications were received for the 49 posts. The Department of University Institute Of Applied Management Sciences, Panjab University (PU), was given the task of scrutinising the applications. A total of 122 duplications have been found in applications that were filed during scrutiny.
Meena further said, “We will make adequate security arrangements around the examination centers where the written exams will be held. The exams will be held online. We will install jammers with strong frequencies to block mobile and Bluetooth signals around the examination centres. Candidates will be issued a detailed advisory about the objects that they can bring and or not on the day of examination”.