By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 24 Sep: Even as various youth organisations are holding protests and are up in arms against the state government following the alleged UKSSSC paper leak, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today vowed to crush the ‘cheating mafia’ and ‘cheating jihad’ in the state. Amid this growing resentment, office bearers of one faction of Berozgar Sangathan had yesterday evening called upon CM Dhami to submit their demands, receiving an assurance of appropriate action from him.
The CM appeared to be in an aggressive mode today when, at a BJP event held today in Dehradun, he declared that that a ‘cheating jihad’ is being orchestrated to mislead the youth of the state. Dhami was today participating in an important organisational meeting of BJP in Dehradun, held to discuss strategy for 2027 Assembly Elections in the state. Warning the cheating mafia on this occasion, and those whom he described as jihadis, Dhami asserted that the government will not rest until the copying mafia is buried in the ground. He emphasised that the government has already brought in a stringent anti-copying law, under which transparent recruitment has been successfully carried out for 25,000 positions, though certain elements remain unhappy with these measures.
After having spoken earlier of ‘love jihad’ and ‘land jihad’, the Dhami government has now turned its focus to what it calls “cheating jihad”. The CM stated that strict action is being prepared against coaching institutes where the copying mafia operates.
Addressing the party leaders and workers, Dhami reiterated his resolve that the copying mafias would be crushed decisively.
It may be recalled that the controversy erupted after portions of an examination paper were allegedly leaked from a Haridwar centre during the UKSSSC examination on Sunday. Speculation soon followed, but today Dhami issued a strong statement, describing the episode as “cheating jihad”. He alleged that the coaching mafia are colluding to jeopardise the future of the youth and vowed that those spreading such conspiracies would be buried in the ground.
Official sources claim that the government is now preparing a crackdown on coaching mafia operating in the state, and the officials have been directed to probe the functioning of these institutes. Dhami made it clear that any jihadi elements seeking to disturb the peace and undermine recruitment processes will be firmly dealt with.
The CM also mentioned his government’s drive against corruption, noting that strict action has been initiated against IAS and PCS officers. Referring to the earlier campaign against ‘land jihad’, he said that in this sacred land, no jihadi would be permitted to occupy property under false pretences. He added that the government has taken the decision to abolish the madrasa board, the effects of which would be evident from next year. This statement came as some youth groups enlarge their mobilisation across the state, and protests entered a second day. Meanwhile, the protests have spread beyond Dehradun, with youth groups urging mass mobilisation and staging demonstrations in multiple districts. BJP alleges political conspiracy and an attempt to mislead the youth behind the agitation.
Meanwhile, intensified street action was witnessed in Dehradun today, especially led by the Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh. Demonstrators defied prohibitory orders in Dehradun and gathered at the Parade Ground to protest what they call the government’s repeated failure to stymie recruitment scams and leaks in competitive exams. A delegation led by Ram Kandwal, the Sangh’s president, had called on the CM, pressing for a review of recruitment policies and a transparent inquiry. Dhami is reported to have promised a full investigation into the irregularities exposed in the UKSSSC exam.
Interestingly, while one faction of the Unemployed Youth organisation is demanding immediate cancellation of the examination held on Sunday, alleging that the exam had been rigged, the other faction, and the student body, Sanyukt Pratiyogta Pariksha Chjatra Sangh, has urged the government not to cancel the exam as it has been handled well and that the labour and the hard work of the labour by the youth competing in the exam would go in vain. There is also a demand emerging pressing for CBI probe into the paper leakage.
On the investigation front, dramatic developments have followed the arrest of those involved in paper leakage incident. The main accused in the alleged paper leak, Khalid Malik, has been arrested by Haridwar Police and handed over to Dehradun authorities. Malik is accused of scaling the back wall of the exam centre at Adarsh Bal Sadan Inter College, concealing a mobile phone in his socks, photographing three pages of the paper from a washroom, and transmitting them to his sister, Sabia, who passed them on to an assistant professor, Suman Chauhan. Sabia had been arrested earlier; another sister, Hina, is under investigation. Chauhan reportedly turned prosecution witness and has cooperated with the police. It has also emerged that Khalid had entered multiple forms for the competitive exam held on Sunday using different father’s name in the form. The reason behind this is yet to be ascertained by the Police.
A further irregularity has come to light in the exam centre’s security protocol: the principal admitted that three of the 18 rooms, including room number nine, where Malik sat, had no mobile jammers. The college had received only 15 jammers from the commission, and CCTV inside exam rooms was switched off, with surveillance limited to the main gate and control room. Authorities are probing whether Malik’s placement in a jammer-free room was coincidental or collusive.
The Police have also stated that Khalid absconded following the exposure of the UKSSSC paper leak case. He also discarded his mobile phone. Khalid had fled to Lucknow. While returning from Lucknow, police apprehended him; however, Khalid’s mobile phone was not recovered. Police are actively searching for Khalid’s mobile phone, as several secrets could be revealed from the missing device.
Police said Khalid has admitted to throwing away his mobile phones between Haridwar and Lucknow. These phones contained photographs of the question paper. Police are now attempting to recover the mobile phones to unravel the layers of this entire network.
Police are scrutinising Khalid’s digital trail with the assistance of a technical team. Furthermore, intense interrogation of Sabiya is ongoing to ascertain to whom she ultimately sent the papers and the amount of money she received in return.
Yet another development currently viral in the case, is when the former Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh president and Swabhiman Morcha leader, Bobby Panwar, was summoned by Haridwar police for questioning. He is alleged to have posted images of the leaked question paper moments midway through the exam began. Panwar has not been arrested but has been asked to cooperate in the probe, and his statement was recorded by senior officers. Panwar, a prominent face of the unemployed youth movement, has previously led campaigns against recruitment irregularities in the state. However, some activists within the Berozgar Sangathan allege that Panwar has political ambitions behind the agitation and had contested the last parliamentary elections though he could not win.
Meanwhile, police sources disclosed that among those under scrutiny now is a CPWD official suspected to have facilitated or benefited from the leak conspiracy. Earlier, two persons, Pankaj Gaur and Hakam Singh, were arrested for promising success in the exam to aspirants in return for sums ranging from Rs 12 to Rs 15 lakh. Hakam Singh had been implicated in a 2021 leak case as the chief conspirator then and has recently been re-arrested.
