Uttarakhand police on Monday registered the first case under the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Measure for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Ordinance 2023 in Uttarkashi. However, it was against those who reacted against an alleged incident of paper leak in the patwari examination held on Sunday and not against those who might be involved in the crime.

Prakash Rana, Kotwali police station in-charge, Uttarkashi town, said: “We have booked Arun Kumar and some other examinees who appeared for the patwari (revenue sub-inspector) examination at Government Polytechnic College, Ladari, on Sunday.

The management of the examination centre had given a written complaint that the examinees made a false allegation that the seal of the box of examination papers was already broken. The case was also registered against a portal, which ran this news. However, the portal has removed the news item from its website.”

Rana said they have initiated legal action against the accused under the anti-copying ordinance, which was cleared by the Pushkar Singh Dhami government on Saturday amid huge protest by the youths who were demanding a CBI probe into the incident of a series of paper leaks including that of the patwari examination, which was to be held in January. It was cancelled at that time and rescheduled on February 12.

Pradip Chamoli, principal of the polytechnic college, has claimed that Arun made a wild allegation against the college and couldn’t substantiate it. “Although he was convinced that the box was intact, he made a video of the box when it was opened and forwarded it on social media after the examination. Despite our consistent effort to reach him, he remained evasive and never substantiated the allegation,” said the principal.

Arun was quoted by local reporters as saying that out of three seals on the cardboard box of examination papers, two were broken before it was opened and anybody could see them. Sources said there is a provision of two years of jail for spreading such rumours. The ordinance has recommended up to 10 years of jail and a fine of Rs 10 crore for any involvement in a paper leak. It also has a provision of three years of jail and a fine of Rs 5 lakh for being involved anyhow in the crime.