In a major breakthrough, Gujarat police on Monday arrested three persons, including two BJP workers, for their alleged involvement in leaking the exam paper for police constable recruitment.

The question paper for the exam was leaked and circulated on social media a few hours before its commencement, following which it was cancelled. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani ordered probe in the matter.

As soon as the news of arrests and identities of the accused were announced by the police, Gujarat BJP President suspended the two workers Mukesh Chaudhary and Manhar Patel from the party.

Mr Chaudhary is a Taluka Panchayt member in Vadgam in Banaskantha district while Manhar Patel is a senior BJP worker in Arvalli district.

A police Sub Inspector P.V. Patel is the third accused. He is based in the State capital Gandhinagar. The other two accused are Yashpalsinh Solanki and Rupal Sharma.

The police is expected to share the details at a press conference on Monday afternoon.

Re-examination to be conducted in a month

For the 8.75 lakh applicants who were set to take exam for 9,713 unarmed police constable jobs in Gujarat, the exam paper leak came as a major shock.

“Some anti social elements succeeded in leaking the paper,” said senior IPS Officer Vikas Sahay.“Questions and answers started circulating on some social media before the exam was to begin,” Mr Sahay told media persons in Gandhinagar on Sunday while announcing the cancellation of the written test. Mr Sahay said the exam will most probably be conducted again within a month.

The State authorities were tight lipped about the location from where the written exam paper was leaked. “We launched the probe which will be conducted in expeditiously,” Gujarat’s DGP Shivanand Jha said.

Meanwhile, opposition party leaders slammed the the State administration for failing the conduct the exam. “The State government is playing with the future of youth who are struggling to get jobs in Gujarat,” said senior Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil.

Thousands of applicants were irked that they had prepared for months and travelled from far-flung areas to the exam centres only to find that the test was cancelled. Furious applicants even held protests in several centres shouting slogans against the authorities.

National Students Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party, also joined in the protests against the government.

“Gujarat Police Constable Exam paper leak! Exam canceled (sic), 8.7 lakh young people affected. All major recruitment exams for government jobs under BJP governments marred by repeated paper leaks. Vyapam model of undermining merit from the backdoor by corruption and influence a feature of BJP government,” NSUI tweeted after the exam was scrapped.