Cuttack, June 8: A high-tech cheating racket during the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) examination conducted by the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) was busted after a flying squad caught a candidate using a concealed mobile phone and wireless earbud inside an examination centre in Cuttack. Four persons, including the candidate, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
According to police, the candidate had allegedly hidden a smartphone inside his undergarments and concealed an earbud beneath his long hair. During the examination, questions were reportedly relayed over a phone call to an accomplice, who searched for answers online and communicated them back in real time.
The incident came to light during a surprise inspection by a flying squad at an engineering college under the jurisdiction of Markatnagar police station, where the examination was being conducted. Suspicious of the candidate's behaviour, squad members conducted a search and recovered an earbud and a smartphone from his possession. An active phone call was reportedly in progress at the time.
The candidate, a resident of Chhauliaganj in Cuttack, was immediately expelled from the examination centre and handed over to police. Acting on information obtained from the seized phone, police traced the location of the person on the other end of the call to the Bellevue area and arrested him.
During interrogation, police uncovered the involvement of two more youths who were allegedly aware of and linked to the cheating operation. They were later apprehended from the CDA area. The two accused are natives of Dhenkanal and Jharkhand and were reportedly residing in Cuttack while preparing for various government recruitment examinations.
Police have seized four mobile phones, an earbud and other incriminating materials from the accused. One of the arrested persons is reportedly associated with a coaching centre and is suspected of providing answers to the candidate during the examination.
Investigators said the candidate admitted to adopting the illegal method after repeatedly failing competitive examinations. Examination of his WhatsApp chats further revealed the involvement of the other accused in the conspiracy.
All four accused have been produced before a local court. The incident has triggered concern over examination security and highlighted the growing use of technology in organised cheating during competitive examinations.
