CBI Cracks South Western Railway Exam Leak, Arrests Two Key Conspirators

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two alleged key conspirators in connection with the question paper leak of a departmental recruitment examination conducted by the South Western Railway , officials said on Saturday.

The accused, identified as Palvoi Ashok and Sheik Jilani , were arrested in Bengaluru on Friday for their alleged involvement in leaking the question paper for the General Departmental Competitive Examination (GDCE)-2022 , held for recruitment to the post of Goods Train Manager .

The CBI had earlier registered a case against 23 accused following a complaint from the South Western Railway. The complaint alleged a criminal conspiracy involving cheating, corruption, and the receipt of illegal gratification by a public servant in connection with the recruitment examination.

According to the agency, Ashok and Jilani were later named as additional accused during the course of the investigation. Searches conducted at their premises led to the seizure of incriminating documents , examination-related records, candidate details, and electronic devices, including scanners and printers , which investigators believe were used to facilitate fraud in railway examinations.

The investigation has uncovered evidence allegedly linking the duo to a conspiracy to obtain and distribute the examination question paper to selected candidates before the test was conducted. The CBI described the two accused as the key masterminds behind the alleged paper leak.

The accused were produced before a court in Bengaluru on Friday, which remanded them to CBI custody for four days to facilitate further investigation.

The CBI is continuing its probe to identify the full extent of the alleged recruitment examination fraud and the involvement of other individuals in the conspiracy.