Ranchi, September 2, 2026: The bail plea of Monu, an alleged member of a solver gang in the Jharkhand Excise Constable recruitment examination paper leak case, will now be heard on September 11.
The matter came up before the court of Additional Judicial Commissioner (AJC) Yogesh Kumar. Following a request from the prosecution, the court fixed September 11 as the next date for hearing the bail application.
Case dates back to April 11 raid in Tamar
The case relates to alleged paper leakage and examination malpractice during the Excise Constable recruitment process.
On the night of April 11, 2026, Ranchi Police conducted a raid at an under-construction building in the Radgaon area of Tamar after receiving information about suspected examination malpractice.
Police alleged that candidates were being made to memorise answers to a purported leaked question paper at the premises.
The raid resulted in the detention of five alleged solver gang members and 159 candidates, taking the initial number of people detained to more than 160. The source material states that the total number of arrests in the case later reached 169.
Police recovered documents and electronic material
During the operation, police reportedly recovered items including a printer, admit cards, mobile phones, bank cheques and other documents.
Investigators have alleged that the gang had negotiated with candidates for amounts ranging between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh in exchange for helping them clear the examination.
These allegations are part of the ongoing criminal investigation and have not been established as facts against individual accused persons.
Atul Vats named as alleged mastermind
Investigators have described Atul Vats as the alleged mastermind of the interstate network involved in the case. The source material also states that he had allegedly been involved in examination malpractice cases in other states.
Several other people have also been named as alleged members of the network.
JSSC and government raised questions over paper match
The Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and the state government have officially maintained that the question papers recovered during the operation did not completely match the actual examination paper scheduled for the following day.
Despite this position, police registered a case under the Jharkhand Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2023, along with other applicable provisions, including allegations relating to organised criminal activity.
The court is now scheduled to consider Monu’s bail plea on September 11 as the wider investigation into the case continues.
