8 arrested for bid to leak AIPMT question paper

Lucknow: In a major crackdown, special task force of UP police arrested a group of eight persons from Varanasi on Sunday morning for trying to leak All India Pre-Medical test (AIPMT) paper. The gang was busted before it could possess exam paper in order to solve and sell it to candidates who were appearing for the exam. The main perpetrators of the nexus were from Patna and are yet to be arrested.
Being organised by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), lakhs of MBBS aspirants appeared for the exam across the country on Sunday. Last year, AIPMT paper was cancelled after Haryana police busted a gang active in Rohtak district for leaking the paper in the middle of exam.
Senior superintendent of special task force Amit Pathak said, "Kingpins of the gang are being questioned. They were in touch with some who have been trying to leak competitive exam paper in other states. Further probe is underway."
Among the group of eight, a 21-year-old girl from Patna was suspected of playing a crucial role and was apprehended by sleuths outside R S Convent school. Located in Sarnath area of Varanasi, the girl had to appear for the exam at the convent school.
She was taken away and frisked by policewomen. A sophisticated ear bug and a small box containing battery and GSM SIM card were recovered from the girl's undergarments. "Powered by Bluetooth, listening devices had been used in Haryana last year and this time same modus operandi was being employed in Uttar Pradesh," said Gyanendra Nath Prasad, DySP of STF's Varanasi unit.
The girl was expected to read out questions to solvers. Sitting in a rented room in Varanasi, solvers were to start preparing answer key for disseminating it to candidates who had paid money to the gang in advance. Police have located three such candidates so far and were gathering details about others.
The main organiser of the entire racket was identified as Neelesh from Patna, a man in late 30s who could not be traced. His aides Rajeev Srivastava (41) from Varanasi and Abhimanyu Kumar (44) from Patna were arrested along with others. Rajeev and Abhimanyu were attempting to organise the leak from Varanasi.
Kumar sells electronic devices, said police. During interrogation police found the girl was related to Abhimanyu.
"She is Abhimanyu's niece and was convinced to come on board. Her last two attempts to clear pre-medical test exams did not succeed and she agreed to help her maternal uncle," said Prasad. Logistics and support at Varanasi was managed by Rajiv Kumar Srivastava (41). Rajiv owns an IT consultancy firm and offers computer and web solutions to local businessmen at Varanasi.
Police have recovered Rs 2 lakh in cash, some post-dated cheques, copies of admit cards of two AIPMT candidates (Sanjay Kumar from Patna and Kamlendra from Ambedkar Nagar) three four-wheelers including Rajiv's Ford Endeavour and 12 cell phones.
Attempts to leak pre-medical test exams have been made repeatedly in Uttar Pradesh. Last year, 12 persons were arrested in May for trying to leak UP CPMT paper. Three MBBS students from prestigious government universities were caught red-handed solving papers and sent behind bars along with others.