Ramgarh (Jharkhand), March 31 The Ramgarh district administration in Jharkhand has ordered an investigation into allegations of tampering with computers that were to be used for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), scheduled for April 2, an official said on Tuesday.
Three people have been arrested in connection with the case, and a search is underway to apprehend others involved, he said.
The action was taken after Radha Govind University (RGU), a private institute in the district, filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the Ramgarh police station, alleging that some individuals had tampered with its computers ahead of the JEE (Main) examination.
Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner (DC) Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz said that after the RGU, which is one of the JEE examination centers, filed a complaint, police have arrested three people, including a computer operator from the university who allegedly attempted to manipulate the systems, along with some other individuals, in the university's computer lab.
"We have ordered an investigation, led by Ramgarh Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Anurag Kumar Tiwari, into the matter, and have asked him to submit the findings as soon as possible," he said.
The incident occurred on March 29 when a university staff member noticed suspicious activity by some individuals in the computer laboratory. When he confronted them, the accused claimed that they were technical staff from an authorized company, which was conducting the exam, another police officer said.
Based on the FIR, police promptly arrested three accused, identified as Dinesh Kumar Mahto, Suraj Kumar Singh, and Shakir Ansari, on the evening of March 29, Ramgarh police station in-charge Naveen Prakash Pandey said.
He added that 70 computer monitors, three CPUs, three mobile phones, and a luxury SUV were seized from their possession.
The Ramgarh SDO said they have informed the examination body, the National Testing Agency, and its technology partner for conducting the JEE (Main) exam, about the incident.
"They have also been urged to assess whether the center is suitable for conducting the examination," he said.