The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested three more alleged middlemen in connection with the alleged irregularities and merit scam in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Preliminary Examination, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 14. The newly arrested accused have been identified as Umesh Kumar, Budheshwar Bhagat and Ramesh Kumar. According to investigators, the trio was allegedly involved in a network that worked with the examination-conducting agency to manipulate the recruitment process in exchange for money. The CID said the investigation is progressing and further arrests are possible.
On Tuesday, the CID questioned three key accused who were taken into custody on court-approved remand. They include Ramveer Singh, Director of TSR Data Processing Private Limited, the agency responsible for conducting the examination, Marketing Manager Abhay Kumar Tiwari alias Manoj Kumar Tiwari, and Programmer Mohammad Usman. Investigators questioned them regarding the examination process, alleged OMR sheet tampering and other technical aspects of the case.
According to the investigation, the focus remains on determining how the alleged manipulation of OMR sheets was carried out, whether examination results were influenced, and how the alleged financial network operated. The CID is also examining how many candidates allegedly paid money to secure success in the examination, the total amount collected, and the distribution of the funds among those allegedly involved. Financial records, bank transactions and digital evidence are being scrutinised.
Investigators allege that evidence gathered so far points to an organised network involving officials, the examination agency, coaching institute operators and middlemen. According to the CID, candidates were allegedly promised success in the examination in return for substantial payments. To secure these payments, the accused allegedly retained candidates’ original educational certificates, mark sheets and admit cards until the agreed amount was paid after the declaration of results.
Earlier, the CID conducted simultaneous searches at 18 locations across Ranchi, Palamu, Hazaribagh, Bokaro and Dhanbad. During the raids, investigators seized documents, electronic devices and several blank cheques. Officials suspect the blank cheques were obtained from candidates as security and were intended to be used for collecting payments after the examination results were announced. The seized material has been sent for forensic examination.
The investigation team is analysing mobile phones, computers, hard drives and other digital devices recovered during the searches to establish communication links, financial transactions and the alleged manipulation of examination records. Technical experts are also examining OMR data, server logs and other digital evidence related to the conduct of the examination.
The alleged scam has raised concerns over the transparency and integrity of recruitment examinations in Jharkhand. Investigators are examining whether the alleged irregularities were limited to the 14th JPSC Preliminary Examination or if similar methods were used in other recruitment processes. The CID said the investigation is continuing and that additional charges and further arrests may follow based on the evidence collected.
