30 caught using wireless earpieces at central exam

CHENNAI: The Chennai city police detained 30 aspirants who tried to cheat during an exam to fill up vacancies in the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), by using Bluetooth earphones on Saturday. The exam was held at the customs headquarters opposite the Beach station, near the Collectorate.

The police said one of the invigilators noticed suspicious behaviour by an aspirant and on close inspection found that he had a Bluetooth device inside his ear. “He had a broadband device tied around his waist. On information, other customs officials conducted raids and found other candidates with Bluetooth devices,” said a senior police officer.

Officials caught 30 people with electronic devices- 26 from Haryana, two from Uttar Pradesh and two from Bihar. The North Beach police detained the candidates. The police are also searching for the person suspected to have waited outside the building to share the answers. The North Beach police are also inquiring with customs officials how the question paper leaked out.

The police said that CBEC had called for 17 vacancies for the job of clerks, canteen attendants and car drivers in Chennai for a monthly salary of Rs 30,000. Sources said that 1,200 people were shortlisted.