New Delhi,  The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested seven more persons, including four CRPF constables, a J&K Police ASI and two private persons, in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector (JKPSI) examination paper leak.

The arrested were identified as ASI Jaisuriya Sharma, CRPF Head Constable Pawan Kumar and constables Amit Kumar Sharma, Atul Kumar, and Sunil Sharma, and Tarsem Lal and Asheesh Yadav.

Recently, the CBI had conducted search operations at multiple locations in J&K, Haryana and in other parts of the country in connection with the scam.

The CBI registered this case on August 3, on the request of J&K Government against 33 accused including then Medical Officer, BSF Frontier Hqrs, Paloura, then Member, then Under Secretary, then Section Officer of the J&K Services Selection Board (J&KSSB), a former CRPF personnel, the J&K Police ASI, owner of a coaching centre in Akhnoor, private company based at Bengaluru, private persons and unknown others on the allegations of irregularities in written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors in the J&K Police conducted by J&KSSB in March.

After the results were declared on June 4, there were allegations of malpractices in the examination and the J&K government had set up an Inquiry Committee to look into the same. It was alleged that the accused entered a conspiracy amongst officials of J&KSSB, a Bengaluru-based private company, beneficiary candidates and others, and caused gross irregularities in conduct of the written examination.

There was abnormally high percentage of selected candidates from Jammu, Rajouri and Samba districts. Violation of rules by the J&KSSB was allegedly found in assigning the task of setting question paper to Bengaluru-based private company.

Searches were conducted on August 5 at 30 locations of the accused including at Jammu, Srinagar, and Bengaluru.

Investigation has revealed the alleged payment of Rs 20 to 30 lakh by willing candidates and their families to the accused for accessing the question paper before commencement of the examination. In this regard, involvement of a gang domiciled in Haryana, certain teachers of J&K, some serving/retired personnel of CRPF, J&K Police and J&KSSB had allegedly come to light.