Anti-Corruption Establishment digs up more details in PPSC leaked paper case

• Anti-Corruption Establishment, Punjab said it has dug up more details about the PPSC leaked examination paper scandal
• Four people had earlier been arrested for alleged involvement in leaking papers
• ACE said one of the accused stole papers from PPSC's computers, while another one sold them

LAHORE: Punjab's Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) said on Monday that one of the suspects, arrested in connection with leaking Punjab Public Service Commission's exam, has transferred files to a USB device.

The authority had arrested four suspects "red-handed just two hours before the exams for 58 Tehsildars posts were scheduled to be conducted". 

ACE officials said the investigation revealed that a junior computer operator at the PPSC named Waqar Akram would steal exam papers and transfer the files to a USB drive. "Out of the four people arrested in relation to the scandal, two of them are important members of the gang."

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

While Akram stole exam papers, Ghazanfar, his accomplice and an employee in the commission's finance department, would sell them. Ghazanfar is also a law student at Punjab University.

The authority said it recovered candidates' roll number slips, past papers, and cash from the accused's room. An M.Phil student, Gohar Ali, has also been detained in the case while a clerk, named Umar Farooq, was fired after allegations of corruption against him were proven. 

PPSC paper leak

On December 26, candidates staged a protest outside the Punjab Public Service Commission's (PPSC) examination centres, alleging that serious errors had taken place in the exam and that the paper was leaked beforehand.

A candidate appearing for the position of lecturer said that jobs for the profession had already been handed out to people. "By holding examinations, the [PPSC] is only doing a formality," he said.

The test was held on December 20, following which a number of candidates took to Twitter to highlight their grievances and demanded that PPSC authorities look into the issue.

 Punjab CM sets up inquiry committee

A day ago, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar constituted an inquiry committee to investigate the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) exam paper leak.

The committee, led by CM's Inspection Team (CMIT) chairperson Ali Murtaza, has been tasked to submit report in five days. 

"The PPSC is a national organisation and nobody will be allowed to play with its reputation," the Punjab CM said.

"The CMIT team will expose the elements who are involved in paper leak scandal," he said, adding that officials supporting the gang responsible for the paper leak will also be brought to book and the PPSC's reputation protected.