23 candidates arrested from SSC exam centre

Prayagraj: A total of 23 candidates, appearing in the practical skill test for stenographer post conducted by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) on Friday, were arrested by police after suspicion arose as the faces of these candidates did not match with the one shown in the documents of the prelims exam held for this post in December 2020. These candidates were picked up by the police from Abhay Memorial College on Friday under Puramufti police station. An FIR has been registered against the arrested youths at Puramufti police station and the college authorities alleged that those arrested are proxy candidates.
According to SP Crime, Ashutosh Mishra, the school staff was conducting the checking of the candidates during the main or practical exams for the post of stenographer recruited by the SSC on Friday, and the authorities noticed the discrepancy in the photographs of the 23 candidates. “The school authorities informed us that during the process of checking the credentials of the candidates, the school manager and magistrate caught 23 such candidates whose photos were not matching from the documents of tier-I (preliminary examination) of the said exams,” said SP Crime.
He further informed that on the complaint of the principal of the school, an FIR has been lodged at the Puramufti police station. Mishra also informed that on being asked, these 23 candidates claimed to be genuine. However, what is perplexing is that the candidates claimed that they were the actual candidates and that those who had appeared on their behalf in the tier-I (written) test were the impersonators from the solver gang.
The candidates, however, could not answer as to why they didn’t raise the issue earlier and brought this fact to light only after the issue surfaced on the day of the practical exam. The police then arrested the 23 candidates and further investigation is underway to ascertain the credentials of the candidates.
Apart from UP, the arrested youths hail from the neighbouring state of Bihar. The arrested accused include Ram Prasad of Patna, Inderjit Kumar Paswan, Saurabh Bhartia and Shakeel. Apart from these, Ramesh Kumar of Soraon, Shyam Babu Yadav, Neeraj Kumar, Sheel Madhur Pal, Vivek Yadav and Amar Singh of Nawabganj, Dhirendra Yadav and Digvijay Singh Patel of Bahria, Pradeep Kumar and Devraj of Phaphamau, Shravan Kumar of Chitrakoot, Sachin of Shivkuti Kumar, Devendra Singh and Akhilendra Singh of Sarainayat, Ravindra Pratap Singh, Krishna Singh and Suraj Kumar of Jhunsi, Ram Abhilash of Mauaima and Ravindra Kumar of Varanasi have been arrested by the police.
Police is also investigating the real identity of the arrested accused, as well as the address provided by them. Police said that after questioning all 23 candidates, further course of action will be taken.