Gujarat: A recruitment exam paper was leaked, according to the state's home minister; FIR filed

Harsh Sanghavi, Minister of State for Home, admitted on Friday that the question paper for the Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board's (GSSSB) recruitment examination for Head Clerk had been leaked, and that a FIR in this regard had been filed at Prantij police station in Sabarkantha district against ten people.

Six of the ten accused have been detained, according to Sanghavi, and an investigation is underway to apprehend the remaining four.

The paper leak covers the GSSSB's recruiting examination for 186 head clerk posts, which took place on December 12. There were around 88,000 individuals that took the written exam.

Yuvrajsinh Jadeja, vice-president of Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party's youth wing, claimed the question paper was leaked the night before the exam and sold for Rs 6 lakh to Rs 12 lakh in various parts of the state the next day, on December 13. In addition, Jadeja indicated that he had proof of the alleged paper leak. Jadeja also gave over evidence of the paper leak to GSSSB Chairman Asit Vora on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Sanghavi stated that the GSSSB would make the decision on whether or not to cancel the examination.

The FIR was filed under the sections of IPC 406 (criminal breach of trust), 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public official), 420 (cheating), and 120(b) of the Indian Penal Code, according to Sanghavi (criminal conspiracy). He went on to say that the home department was looking into the possibility of imposing more severe penalties on the accused in order to make an example and deter future offences.

He stated that no GSSSB official has been implicated in the crime thus far, but that they are conducting a 360-degree inquiry and that no one is immune from scrutiny.

Sanghavi made the news at a press conference in this city. He claimed that as soon as the paper leak was discovered, 24 police teams were formed to investigate the crime. Police from the districts of Sabarkantha and Gandhinagar were participating in the probe, he said.