The Defence Ministry on Wednesday asked the CBI to probe into the alleged leak of Army recruitment question paper. The racket was busted by the Thane police in Maharashtra on Sunday last leading to the arrest of at least 18 persons including a retired serviceman and a para-military personnel and the Army cancelled examinations at a number of centres.
The Army had asked the defence ministry to seek the premier investigation agency's help in identifying the masterminds behind the leak, officials said here. The Army was also likely to countermand examinations at more centres after its Court of Inquiry now on in Southern COMMAND, Pune gives the preliminary report.
Following the police exposing the racket, the Army on Sunday had cancelled examinations at centres including in Kamptee, Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Ahmedabad, Goa and Kirkee which come under the Pune zone.
The examinations were held for a number of posts including those of soldier clerk, strongman and soldier tradesman at 52 centres across the country. These centres are part of 12 zones looking after recruitment process. Nearly 350 candidates who possessed the leaked question papers were also detained for questioning by the Thane police.
A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code(IPC), IT Act and Prevention of Corruption Act against the accused who were being brought to Thane for further probe.
Among those arrested, nine were from Pune, six from Nagpur and three from Goa, he said. Of the detained candidates, 79 are from Pune, 222 from Nagpur and 49 from Goa.