Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Feb 28: The special investigation cell (SIC) has released the details of the modus operandi used by the accused in the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) exam malpractice case.
In a press statement, SIC SP M Harsha Vardhan on Friday evening informed that investigation has revealed that broker Mongam Basar acted at the behest of the then APSSB undersecretary Kapter Ringu.
“She received money from candidates and passed it on to Ringu, in lieu of getting them selected in the LDC and JSA exam of the APSSB,” Vardhan said.
He said that Ringu also directly received money from another set of candidates.
“After the examination was conducted on 2nd February, 2020, the trunks containing the used OMR sheets and other exam materials were brought to the strong room in the APSSB office. Kapter Ringu, aided by data entry operator Khem Raj, then went about tampering the OMR sheets,” the SIC SP informed.
He said investigation revealed that Ringu entered the strong room at various times outside of office hours, using the keys available with her, on 3 and 4 February.
“She then filled up the OMR sheets of the candidates who had paid money in lieu of clearing the exam, and placed them back in the trunks,” Vardhan said, adding that the SIC has unearthed the specific details of how that was done.
“Data entry operator Tame Tania helped Ringu in tampering with the CCTV footage once the issue of malpractices came to light through social media on 15 February. We have confirmed that the two arrested data entry operators of the APSSB, Tame Tania and Khem Raj, also appeared in the exam as candidates and qualified. Their OMR sheets were also tampered to favour them by Ringu,” the SP said.
“At this stage in investigation, the SIC is ascertaining how many candidates paid money or benefitted unduly through malpractices in the exam, and hence, we refrain from giving a number as of now,” Vardhan said.
The SIC SP stated that the three arrested persons – Kapter Ringu, Mongam Basar and Khem Raj – are still in police custody.
“However, Senia Bagang has been granted bail by the court on the ground that she is a feeding mother to a five-month-old baby. Strict conditions of bail have been imposed on her by the court.
“Tame Tania was granted bail by the hon’ble court yesterday (Thursday) because of a preexisting severe medical condition,” the SP informed.
The SIC has seized electronic evidence in the case, and they are being processed in an appropriate manner, he said. “The SIC has also frozen the bank account of Kapter Ringu in connection with the case.”
Vardhan added: “The SIC is committed to conducting this investigation in a professional and evidence-based manner to unearth the truth. Investigation is still continuing into various aspects of this case.”
