Assam Police have arrested seven people, including a school principal, for their alleged involvement in a cheating racket during National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) examinations in Tinsukia district. The accused allegedly facilitated cheating and other unfair practices in exchange for money, police said on November 6.
According to the police, the accused were allegedly collecting between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 from candidates by promising to ensure their success in the examinations. They allegedly allowed candidates to use unfair means or provided assistance during the examination process in return for the money.
The alleged malpractice came to light following a surprise raid conducted by a police team at Bhawati Bhagwan DV Shiksha Niketan on Thursday. The operation was led by Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Purunjay Bora while an examination was underway at the centre.
During the raid, police arrested seven people, including the school’s principal, Raghav Prasad Rai.
The other arrested persons have been identified as Sunil Kumar Verma, Ajit Jain, Biki Prasad, Dipu Barman, Suresh Giri and Shubhnath Bhagat.
Following the arrests, an FIR was registered in connection with the alleged examination malpractice. All seven accused were produced before a court on Friday and were subsequently taken into custody for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
Police are now investigating the extent of the alleged racket, including how much money was collected from candidates and whether other individuals were involved in the operation.
Investigators are also examining whether the alleged malpractice was restricted to the examination centre at Bhawati Bhagwan DV Shiksha Niketan or extended to other NIOS examination centres in Tinsukia district.