Barmer: Rajasthan’s Special Operations Group (SOG) has intensified its crackdown on recruitment examination fraud with the arrest of a notorious accused allegedly involved in multiple dummy candidate and impersonation rackets linked to government recruitment exams.
The accused, identified as Bhabhutaram alias Ranjeet, a resident of Dhanau police station area in Barmer district, had been absconding for a prolonged period and carried a reward of ₹15,000 on his arrest. He was apprehended following a coordinated operation conducted with the assistance of local police authorities.
Investigators describe Bhabhutaram as a habitual offender who allegedly specialized in appearing as a “dummy candidate” in competitive examinations in exchange for large sums of money.
PTI Recruitment Fraud Exposed
According to the SOG, Bhabhutaram is one of the key accused in the Physical Training Instructor (PTI) Recruitment Examination-2022 fraud case.
Officials allege that he impersonated the original candidate, Mukesh Saran, and appeared in the examination on his behalf using forged identification and fraudulent means. A criminal case has already been registered at the SOG police station in Jaipur under serious charges including cheating, forgery, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy.
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The investigation suggests that the accused was part of a broader organized network that facilitated dummy candidates for recruitment examinations across Rajasthan.
Earlier Arrested in SI Recruitment Scam
The probe has further revealed that Bhabhutaram was previously arrested in connection with the Rajasthan Police Sub-Inspector (SI) Recruitment Examination-2021 scam, where he was allegedly involved in arranging and deploying dummy candidates.
Officials believe the accused operated either by personally appearing in examinations for other candidates or by coordinating substitute candidates in exchange for substantial payments.
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Investigators suspect that multiple beneficiaries may have secured government jobs illegally through the services provided by the network.
Fake Taekwondo Certificate Used for Government Benefits
During interrogation, the accused reportedly made another startling confession regarding forged sports credentials.
According to SOG officials, Bhabhutaram admitted that despite never participating in any recognized sports competition, he managed to obtain a fake Taekwondo certificate to claim benefits and advantages in recruitment processes.
Following this disclosure, SOG has registered an additional case related to forged sports documentation and fraudulent certification.
Police Remand Till May 16
SOG Additional Director General Vishal Bansal stated that the accused was arrested with support from Barmer Police and subsequently produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody until May 16, 2026.
Officials said the interrogation is currently focused on identifying:
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- Beneficiaries who used dummy candidate services,
- Other members of the organized racket,
- Financial transactions linked to recruitment fraud,
- And possible links to larger masterminds operating behind the scenes.
Authorities confirmed that five members associated with the network have been arrested so far.
Questions Raised Over Recruitment System Integrity
The repeated emergence of dummy candidate scandals and paper leak cases in Rajasthan has once again raised serious concerns over the credibility and security of government recruitment examinations.
Investigating agencies are now examining whether larger organized syndicates, coaching operators, or influential intermediaries were involved in helping ineligible candidates obtain government jobs through fraudulent means.
The SOG is also trying to determine how many individuals may have illegally secured positions in the police department, education sector, and other government services with the assistance of the accused and his network.
Officials indicated that further arrests and major revelations are likely as the investigation progresses.
