Paper leak case: UP govt removes state police recruitment board chairperson

Lucknow, Mar 5 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday removed Renuka Mishra as the chairperson of the UP Police Recruitment and Promotion Board amid allegations of the question paper of a constable recruitment examination being leaked.

Mishra has been put on the “wait list” after her removal from the post and Director Vigilance Rajiv Krishna given the additional responsibility of the board, official sources said.

Following allegations of paper leak, the state government had on February 24 cancelled the police constable recruitment examination held on February 17 and 18, and ordered a re-test within six months.

More than 48 lakh candidates appeared for the examination.

The government had also announced that a Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh Police would probe the matter.

In a post in Hindi on X, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on February 24 had said, “There can be no compromise with the sanctity of examinations. Those who toy with the hardwork of youngsters will not be spared under any circumstances. Strictest action is certain to be taken against such unruly elements.”

More than 240 people were arrested or detained by police across Uttar Pradesh for allegedly planning to use or adopting unfair means before or during the police recruitment exam — between February 16 and 18.

The state home department had earlier said, “On the basis of information and facts pertaining to the police recruitment examination held on February 17 and February 18, the government, while keeping in mind the highest standards of sanctity and transparency, has decided to cancel the examination.”

“The government has directed the recruitment board to register an FIR at the level where laxity has been committed and ensure further action. The government has decided to get the matter probed by the STF. Directions have also been issued to take strictest action against the guilty persons and organisation,” it had said in a statement.

The re-examination will be conducted within six months and UPSRTC government buses will ferry candidates to test centres for free, the statement had said.

On March 2, the STF had arrested two accused involved in the police recruitment exam paper leak from the Vibhuti Khand area of state capital Lucknow.

The accused were allegedly members of a gang involved in the question paper leak of the UP Recruitment and Promotion Board examination on February 17 and 18, the STF had said in a statement.

Ajay Singh Chauhan and Sonu Singh Yadav, both residents of Prayagraj district, were arrested.

Their gang is also involved in arranging solvers and leaking question papers to candidates preparing for competitive exams, the STF had said.

Several documents related to the 2024 constable recruitment examination, two mobile phones, and some cash were seized from the duo, it had said.

The STF had registered an FIR against the duo under sections 419 (punishment for cheating by personation), 420 (cheating by inducement), 467 (forgery of valuable documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 386 (extortion by putting any person in fear of death or of grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code at the Vibhuti Khand police station of Lucknow.