UP STF apprehends 3 accused in connection with paper leak scandal

The Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh has apprehended three primary suspects in the February leak of the UP police constable recruitment examination's question paper, stated Police Director General, Prashant Kumar. 

The exam, initially held on February 17-18, had over 4.3 million individuals vying for 60,244 positions, but had to be abandoned following the leak. Across the state, 178 cases were lodged and 396 individuals arrested. The STF lodged 15 of these cases and made 54 arrests.

The examination papers were reportedly leaked from TCI Express's warehouse, where they were stored post-printing. The company's current employees, Shivam Giri and Rohit Pandey, along with its former employee, Abhishek Shukla, are among the three arrested by STF.

The agency conducting the exam was negligent, which caused this breach, according to the investigation conducted.

Two other main suspects, Rajiv Nayan Mishra and Ravi Attri, remain absconding. Mishra has earlier been incarcerated for leaking the UP-TET examination's question paper and involved in the MP Nurse recruitment examination leak. Attri allegedly promised the arrested trio Rs 5 lakh initially, and up to Rs 20 lakh later, for leaking the paper, the police report suggests.