The CBI on Tuesday conducted searches at seven locations in Jammu, Pathankot, Rewari and Karnal in connection with the police sub-inspector recruitment scam in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

The searches were conducted at the premises of arrested mastermind Yatin Yadav and CRPF constable Surender Singh among others, they said.

The CBI had taken over investigation into the case on August 3 on a reference from the Jammu and Kashmir government.

The case pertains to the leak of question paper for the examination through which 1,200 posts of sub-inspectors were to be filled by the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB), they said.

The agency has arrested 13 persons so far in connection with the case, they said.

A Rewari resident, Yatin Yadav, had allegedly leaked the question paper with the help of an employee of the printing press in Okhla.

Yadav allegedly used illicit services of touts based in Jammu and Kashmir, including constables of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), for luring candidates who were charged anything between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 30 lakh approximately for the paper, they said.

The candidates were allegedly taken to Karnal in Haryana in vehicles provided by CRPF constable Surender Singh and a question paper was provided to them at a hotel there, the CBI said.

The leaked question paper was also allegedly provided to the candidates in Jammu.