23 sepoy candidates arrested for fraudulence in written exams

The Customs authorities handed over 23 candidates for sepoy posts of the Chattogram Customs House to local police over fraudulence in written exams.

The 23 were caught when they sat for the viva portion of their exams.

"Of them, 18 candidates were handed over to Pahartoli police station on Tuesday, while five others on Wednesday. Two cases were filed against them," said Rozina Khatun, officer- in-charge of the police station.

According to the case details, the handwriting of the candidates did not match with their written papers. At the same time, they were unable to answer the questions they had scored well on during their written exams.

During primary interrogation, the detainees confessed that they had hired proxies to give the exams for them in exchange of Tk10,000-Tk80,000.

Twenty-three others unnamed were also accused in the two cases.

According to the Chattogram Customs, separate circulars were published in 2014 and 2017 for the recruitment of some sepoys. 

The tests could not be completed on time due to various complications. 

As time passed, the candidates took advantage of the difference between their application photos and how they looked currently.
Utilising this opportunity, some candidates participated in the written exams using proxies. 

Deputy Commissioner Barrister Md Bodruzzaman Munshi, member secretary of the recruitment committee of customs, said against 98 sepoy posts of customs, 3,344 candidates took part in the written examination held on 23 December.

Among them, 350 candidates passed the written exam. They took part in the viva voce at the Custom Excise and VAT Training Academy on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. 

A total of 23 viva voce examinees were detained in two days because their handwriting did not match those in the written exams.

Besides, seven people were arrested for fraud during the written exam and handed over to Khulshi police station on 23 December.

In total, 30 people were arrested for cheating in the written exam and three cases were filed in Khulshi and Pahartali police stations.