Ramgarh/Ranchi/Hazaribag: The Ramgarh administration has ordered a probe into alleged manipulation of computer systems at a private university meant for the JEE (Main), which is scheduled to start from Thursday.The probe was ordered after police on Sunday arrested three persons, including a computer operator, for allegedly attempting to manipulate computer systems at the university, which is one of the JEE (Main) centres. Police seized 70 computers and 3 CPUs from the computer lab, 3 mobile phones and an SUV.“The accused were identified as Dinesh Kumar Mahto (computer operator), Suraj Kumar Singh and Shakir Ansari,” said officer in-charge of Ramgarh police station, Naveen Prakash Pandey.Deputy commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz said that the arrests were made after registrar of the university, Nirmal Kumar Mandal, lodged a police complaint. “We have ordered Ramgarh sub-divisional officer (SDO), Anurag Kumar Tiwari, to enquire into the issue of alleged irregularities and submit findings at the earliest,” the DC said.Chairman and chancellor of the university, B N Sah, told TOI that they had organised a civic action programme on Sunday. “Our computer lab is near C block. Someone spotted a SUV near it and computers inside the vehicle. As soon as our staff went to enquire, the driver tried to escape the SUV but the guards had closed the gates.”“We soon alerted police. A few more vehicles arrived outside the campus. During questioning by police, the matter came to light. A staffer, who used to take care of cleaning and upkeep of the lab, was among those involved,” he said, adding that the culprits had come with 65 computers and had installed 11 dummy systems.Sources in the Ramgarh administration said that preliminary findings indicated a large-scale attempt to manipulate results by helping candidates who allegedly paid huge sums of money. “The modus operandi pointed to an organised setting to ensure select candidates clear the exam. Investigators are now probing the possible involvement of an interstate gang believed to be operating such rackets,” said a source.Ramgarh subdivisonal officer Anurag Tiwari said, “There were indications of a setting, but it was detected before it could fully play out. The National Testing Agency has been informed and will conduct its own probe to get to the bottom of the matter.”A police officer in Ramgarh, on the condition of anonymity, said the case bears similarities to last year’s NEET irregularities reported in Hazaribag. “The pattern appears similar. In the coming days, there could be major revelations and names of several influential persons may also surface,” the officer added. Further investigation is underway.
