PPSC paper leak: ACE arrests gang of four

• Suspects caught red-handed leaking papers two hours before PPSC exam for post of Tehsildar was scheduled to take place, says ACE
• A three-member special investigation team had been formed to probe the incident
• Other papers for posts other than the Tehsildar were also leaked by the gang 

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has arrested a gang of four persons for allegedly leaking the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) examination papers, according to a report by The News, on Saturday. 

Read more: PPSC cancels exam for Tehsildar posts at last minute after 'paper leak'

The ACE investigation team said they had caught the four suspects red-handed just two hours before the paper for the 58 posts of Tehsildar, Consolidation/Hill Torrent Officer, Reader to Member Board of Revenue (BS-16) was scheduled to be conducted across Punjab. 

The anti-corruption team revealed the names of the four suspects, who are Waqar Akram, Junior Data Entry Operator at the PPSC, Ghazanfar, an employee of Finance Department, Gohar Ali an M.Phil History student at the Punjab University and Mazhar Iqbal, a private person. 

As many as 103,487 candidates had applied for the competitive examination against the advertised 58 lucrative posts in the Punjab Revenue Department.

The ACE spokesperson held a press conference to reveal that the DG ACE Punjab Muhammed Gohar Nafees had formed a three-member special investigation team to determine who was involved in leaking the papers. 

Read more: PPSC under fire on Twitter over cancellation of Tehsildar post exam

The action had been taken by ACE after pressure mounted from protesting students across Punjab, who were livid at the paper getting cancelled at the last minute over the leak. 

The ACE special investigation team comprised Director Vigilance Abdus Salam Arif, Deputy Director Finance, Mazhar Iqbal Baloch and Inspector Headquarters Zaigham Khalil. According to ACE, the suspects allegedly charged Rs800,000 per paper to leak them. 

The gang confessed that not only Tehsildar, they had also leaked previous papers for the posts of Inspector Anti-Corruption, Assistant Director Anti-Corruption, Lecturer Chemistry, Lecturer Education, Lecturer English and other exams.

Further investigation in the matter is underway. Commenting on the matter, DG ACE said: “It is a matter of grave national concern. It has shattered the trust of candidates on the prestigious institution such as PPSC. All the facts of the scam will be brought before the nation and strict action against all those involved in the shameful act will be taken.”

The PPSC had to cancel some papers scheduled for Saturday and Sunday (today) at the eleventh hour following the ACE’s confirmed paper leak clue early Saturday morning. These papers were: Tehsildar/ Consolidation Officer/ Hill Torrent Officer/Reader to Member Board of Revenue (Ministerial Quota) (BS-16).

On Saturday, a large number of candidates also protested against the PPSC authorities outside the PPSC exam center at Model Town for failing to ensure transparency in the conduct of exams.