The Rajasthan government on Tuesday suspended a Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) officer and two Rajasthan Police Service (RPS) officers, along with 13 teachers, education department employees and three police personnel suspecting their involvement in Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET 2021) cheating case.
"Taking strict action against the officers and employees involved in illegal and suspicious activities in REET Examination-2021, the state government has issued orders to suspend them with immediate effect," the Rajasthan government said in a statement. The government further said, "The Sub-Divisional Officer of Wazirpur in Sawai Madhopur district, Narendra Kumar Meena (RAS), Circle City Circle Officer Narayan Tiwari (RPS) and Sawai Madhopur (SIUCAW) Deputy Superintendent Rajulal Meena were suspended with immediate effect. Keeping the case of departmental inquiry proceedings pending."
Director of Secondary Education, Rajasthan, Saurabh Swamy said 13 teachers and employees of the state education department have been suspended for doing illegal and improper work during the REET exam. "In compliance with the instructions given by the Chief Minister, the officers and employees will be dismissed from the state service if found guilty after investigation of these cases," the statement added. Notably, for the first time in the history of Rajasthan, administrative and police officers and teachers have been suspended in such numbers due to illegal and suspicious activities in the state work.
On Monday, Rajasthan Police arrested five persons for allegedly selling Bluetooth device fitted 'chappals' worth Rs 6 lakh to candidates appearing in the exam held to select government school teachers in the state, officials said. The gang of five people, including a woman, was arrested and a cheating racket busted by Rajasthan police who acted after sensing foul play by a candidate who appeared at an Ajmer centre for the REET exam that was held on Sunday.
The incident came to light when aspirant, Ganesh Ram Dhaka (28), who had arrived at the Acharya Shri Dharam Sagar Digambar Jain Secondary Medium School Centre in Ajmer for the REET was found wearing a Bluetooth-equipped chappal. According to police, officials deployed at the centre found a wireless earphone in Dhaka's ear. When questioned, he confessed about the mobile phone and Bluetooth device hidden inside his footwear.
Police claim that Dhaka told them that he had purchased the pair of footwear from one Tuljaram Jat in Bikaner for Rs 2.50 lakh. Bikaner Police identified the gang members — Madan Lal, Trilok Chand, Om Prakash, Gopal Krishna, and Kiran. Dhaka was arrested by the Ajmer police, and Tuljaram Jat is absconding. Further investigation is underway.
Ahead of the highly competitive REET, the Rajasthan government had suspended internet and mobile services in Ajmer, Alwar, Dausa, Jhunjhunu and Jaipur rural districts from 6 am to 6 pm on Sunday in a bid to prevent cheating.
