The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police arrested 16 people for cheating sub-inspector hopefuls by promising them the question paper for the recruitment test held on Sunday. Several candidates exchanged money for the question paper but no paper was given to them, according to the police.
“Among the accused were three police personnel, teachers, and tutors of coaching centres in and around the state. Two of the accused police personnel (constables) escaped the raid, and efforts are on to nab them. There are many candidates who were in contact with the accused,” T Suneel Kumar, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner told The Hindu.
A total of Rs. 41.2 lakh in cash, Rs. 3 lakh in cheques and blank cheques given by the candidates to the accused, were recovered following the arrests, CCB officials confirmed.
Police also reiterated that no question papers were leaked and that the accused had not kept their promise of helping the candidates clear the written test. Nine teams of CCB officials held simultaneous raids in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Belagavi and Vijayapura to uncover the scam.
Police cracked the case while probing a question paper leak in the BMTC/KSRTC recruitment exam which was reported a few days ago, confirmed Alok Kumar, Additional Commissioner of Police, speaking to Deccan Herald.
In the BMTC/KSRTC question paper leak case, 34-year-old Somappa Yamanappa Melinamani who topped the exam was arrested by Wilson Garden Police. CCB officials had tracked down Basappa Bhajantri, owner of a career academy in Vijayapura who had leaked the question paper for Rs. 2 lakh.