Patna: Bihar’s Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has arrested three people, including a biometric supervisor, in connection with the alleged question paper leak in the written examination conducted for the recruitment of 122 Home Guard Havaldar Instructor posts. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Investigators claim the preliminary probe points to the existence of an organised network that allegedly attempted to help candidates use unfair means during the examination. The EOU is continuing its investigation to identify other individuals who may have been involved.
According to the EOU, the arrested accused have been identified as Raj Samdarshi alias Raja (25), a resident of Karsa village in Bikram, Patna district; Abhishek Kumar (21), a resident of Saidpur Rajouli in Vaishali district; and Nitesh Kumar (28), a resident of Vaishali who was deployed as a biometric supervisor during the examination. The three were arrested in connection with Case No. 368/2026, registered at Hajipur Sadar Police Station on 29 July, which is now being investigated by the Economic Offences Unit.
The Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission conducted the written examination for the Home Guard Havaldar Instructor recruitment on 29 July at 227 examination centres across 13 districts. The examination was held in a single shift from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. During the investigation of an earlier case, the EOU received information suggesting that Raj Samdarshi was expected to appear as a candidate at an examination centre in Hajipur and was allegedly planning to use unfair means during the test.
Acting on the intelligence, EOU officials detained Raj Samdarshi near the Higher Secondary School examination centre in Hajipur before the examination. During questioning, he allegedly admitted that he intended to use unfair means and identified Abhishek Kumar as his associate. Investigators said the interrogation has yielded several important leads, which are now being examined as part of the wider investigation.
The EOU further claimed that Raj Samdarshi also admitted to having allegedly used unfair means in the Assistant Education Development Officer (EDO) examination conducted in April 2026. Investigators are now verifying this claim and examining whether the same network was involved in both examinations or whether different individuals played separate roles.
According to investigators, the biometric supervisor Nitesh Kumar allegedly planned to facilitate the transmission of answers to Raj Samdarshi during the Home Guard recruitment examination. The EOU said it is conducting forensic analysis of digital evidence, call detail records, mobile phone data, and other electronic records to verify the allegation. Authorities are also examining whether any other individuals inside or outside the examination centre assisted in the alleged conspiracy.
During the investigation, officials claimed to have recovered several candidates’ admit cards, suspected answer keys, and other examination-related digital documents from the mobile phone galleries of Raj Samdarshi and Abhishek Kumar. The seized electronic devices have been sent for forensic examination. Investigators believe the data may provide crucial evidence regarding the alleged network, its communication channels, financial transactions, and the identities of other individuals connected to the case.
The Economic Offences Unit said the investigation is still at an early stage and efforts are underway to identify additional suspects linked to the alleged paper leak network. Authorities are analysing digital evidence, technical data, and statements recorded during interrogation to reconstruct the sequence of events. If further evidence establishes the involvement of other individuals, appropriate legal action will be taken in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, all three arrested accused have been produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody as the investigation continues.
About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
