Four persons have been arrested by the Odisha Police for allegedly using unfair means during the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Preliminary Examination-2025 in Cuttack, said officials on Monday.
The malpractice came to light on Sunday at the Ajay Binay Institute of Technology (ABIT) examination centre when a candidate caught a 29-year-old candidate, identified as Abhisek Rout, allegedly cheating during the examination.
According to police, Rout was found carrying a concealed Bluetooth earbud and a mobile phone hidden inside his undergarments into the examination hall.
Invigilators became suspicious of his behavior after noticing that he was repeatedly whispering the exam questions out loud.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Rout’s hidden mobile phone was actively connected to three accomplices stationed outside the examination hall, police said.
Investigators stated that these external associates were transmitting answers back to Rout via the electronic communication setup.
The illicit electronic devices were flagged during routine examination monitoring and immediately confiscated by the authorities.
Following a written complaint by the exam center supervisor, the Markatnagar police registered a criminal case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Odisha Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024.
As part of the ongoing probe, police personnel interrogated examination staff, gathered official records, and seized all electronic hardware tied to the offense.
“Four persons, including the candidate, have been arrested in connection with the incident. Their mobile phones and other electronic devices have also been seized for forensic examination,” police said.
