Patna: The Economic Offences Unit (EOU) has arrested a key accused in connection with alleged malpractice in the Bihar Public Service Commission’s (BPSC) assistant local sanitation and waste management officer and assistant education development officer (AEDO) examinations.The accused has been identified as Atul Raj Pandey, a resident of Postal Park under Kankarbagh police station area. He was produced before a court on Tuesday (Aug 18) and sent to Beur jail in judicial custody.The case relates to the alleged use of unfair means during the assistant local sanitation and waste management officer examination on April 23. During the investigation, the EOU found that Pandey was allegedly also involved in the paper leak of AEDO exam that was held from April 14 to 21. Officials said the modus operandi in the two cases appeared similar.EOU DIG Manavjit Singh Dhillon said on Wednesday the investigation began after a candidate Roshan Kumar was allegedly caught with a chit containing answers at the AN College examination centre during the sanitation officer examination. The chit was allegedly supplied to him through biometric staff member Anshu Priya who was connected to Pandey, he said.An FIR was registered at Srikrishnapuri police station under Bihar Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, and relevant provisions of the BNS. The investigation was subsequently taken up by the EOU, he said.According to Dhillon, Pandey was deployed as a biometric operator at Raghunath Girls High School in Kankarbagh during the AEDO examination. EOU officials said evidence related to the AEDO case was found on the mobile phone of his colleague, Deepika Kumari. Pandey’s phone was also seized.The EOU said Pandey had previously worked with companies involved in providing jammers and biometric systems for examinations and had also supplied manpower to such firms. Investigators suspect this experience may have given him information about personnel deployed at examination centres.The agency said Pandey’s questioning provided leads about alleged “managed examination centres” and solver gangs. Dhillon said Pandey had also disclosed the alleged location where question papers were solved. The EOU is investigating the wider network and the role of those involved in staff deployment and alleged assistance to candidates.
