Uttarakhand: Three copying mafia arrested for tampering with OMR sheet of IELTS exam
Last month, a Delhi- based transporter, Kuldeep Singh Digra (Gurgaon), lodged a complaint about irregularities in the IELTS exam. Along with this, some candidates who appeared for the exam had also given a complaint letter in this matter to the SIT. In which there was talk of disturbances in the IELTS exam. While starting the investigation, the STF has arrested three copying mafia who tampered with the OMR sheet of IELTS exam.
Rigging with answer sheets done in this way: STF’s preliminary investigation found that on February 25, the IELTS exam was conducted by IDP (International Development Program) at Hotel MJ Portingo, Nehru Colony, Dehradun. 171 candidates appeared in the examination. After the examination, the OMR and answer sheets of the candidates were sealed in a suitcase and given to Blue Dart Courier Service Office Niranjanpur Patel Nagar Dehradun to be delivered to IDP Office Gurgaon. Blue Dart Courier Company had received information about tampering with the digital lock of this vehicle. This information was shared with IDP Company. But both the companies imposed the responsibility of taking legal action on each other in this regard.
Tempering found in the answer sheet: During the investigation, Jaideep Singh, the representative of IDP, the company which conducted the examination, was questioned. In which he told that after receiving the mail of lock tempering from Blue Dart, the OMR and answer sheets of 171 candidates were checked by our investigation team. In which tempering was found in the sheets of 15 candidates. When investigation was done about these 15 candidates, it was found that these candidates were in contact with 4 different institute directors during the examination. Those who get IELTS coaching done, which are being investigated by STF.
Caught of three accused: SSP STF Ayush Aggarwal told that the STF team has arrested Jitendra, Sahil and Shabbir Khan. Along with this STF is investigating the candidates who cheated in this examination and the operators of coaching centers. It was told by the arrested accused Sahil Kumar that he was doing this work from the year 2021. Till now, by doing such work 6 to 7 times, many candidates have been passed. A reward of ten thousand rupees has been announced for the police team.
What is IELTS exam: IDP in India registers for IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam. This is an English language test. It is needed by the students going to study abroad. Academic IELTS for studying abroad and general papers IELTS exam has to be given for work visa or permanently settling in those countries. IELTS exam is held 04 times in every month and 48 times in a year on different dates. On passing this exam, a certificate is given, which is valid for 2 years.
At present IDP company (maoni Devlopment Programs) is conducting IELTS exam all over India. Planet Company has been given the responsibility of conducting the IELTS exam for IDP to be held in Dehradun. A contract has been signed with Blue Dart Company to deliver OMR sheets safely to IDP’s office in Gurgaon.
How the paper was leaked: When the STF team detained container driver Jitendra and interrogated him from the office, he told that Saminder Mandi, Sahil Kumar and three other persons called him a few days before the exam on February 25 and It was decided to give three lakh rupees in lieu of handing over the OMR sheets of the IELTS exams to be held on March 11 to them for some time. For this work, Shabbir Khan, the manager of his Blue Dart company was also brought together.
The whole racket was active: After that, on February 25, after leaving Dehradun, crossing the Mohand forest, he made him stand on the side of the vehicle. There, Saminder Mandi and Sahil opened the rear lock of the car with a screwdriver and took the suitcase containing the paper of eyelets kept inside it in their custody and told them to meet at the Delhi border while walking ahead. On reaching the Delhi border, the suitcase containing the OMR sheet was again kept in the truck and locked by Saminder Mandi and Sahil. Shabbir Khan of the company used to inform about the location of the courier with eyelets in the container vehicle to Saminder Mandi through WhatsApp. Then they used to open the same bag from the entire container, in which the paper suitcase was kept.
Brother- in- law did the whole game: The caught Sahil told that Saminder is my real brother- in- law. In this, the whole game plan is of brother- in- law Saminder. Saminder’s own driver Jitendra and Shabbir Khan had talked about the setting of changing the paper by opening the lock of the vehicle. On February 25, he contacted Jitendra, the driver of the vehicle, and got him stopped near Mohand. Taking our candidates along there, taking out the exam suitcase from the car and taking out the copies of the candidates who came with us, those copies were given to them again. After this, the candidates got their answers corrected. Along with this, he got the mistakes rectified and got the answer sheets of the candidates who did not come changed with the answer sheets of others.
Used to earn lakhs of rupees by changing OMR sheets: After that, those copies were put back in the same suitcase and put in the Blue Dart car. For this work, Shabbir Khan of Blue Dart used to take 50 thousand rupees from us and Jitendra, the driver of the vehicle, used to take 3 lakh rupees. Pencil is used more in IELTS paper. We easily exchange one OMR sheet with OMR sheet of other children. He told that Saminder Mandi has good relations with those who run coaching centers for IELTS. They only make the children available and the coaching center gives it to them by taking 02 to 03 lakh rupees from each child. A reward of Rs 10,000 has been announced for the STF team.
