ED attaches ₹63.30 lakh properties in UKSSSC exam paper leak case
Synopsis
The ED has attached ₹63.30 lakh in assets tied to the UKSSSC exam paper leak, revealing an organised syndicate that sold question papers for cash, funnelled ₹95 lakh through fake agricultural income claims, and compromised two separate Uttarakhand recruitment exams spanning 2016 and 2021.
Key Takeaways
The ED provisionally attached properties worth ₹63.30 lakh under PMLA, 2002 on 1 August in the UKSSSC exam paper leak case.
Key accused Hakam Singh Rawat allegedly received ₹95 lakh from candidates and concealed it as agricultural income in his ITRs.
An organised syndicate involving RMS Techno Solutions Private Limited employees, public servants, and middlemen leaked question papers for monetary gain.
ED searches were conducted at 14 premises , yielding incriminating documents, digital devices, and cash.
A chargesheet has been filed before the PMLA Special Court, Dehradun ; the scam covered exams held in 2016 and 2021 .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹63.30 lakh in connection with the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) examination paper leak scam, the central agency confirmed on Saturday, 1 August. The attachment was carried out by the ED's Dehradun Sub Zonal Office under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Background and Trigger for the Investigation
The ED initiated its probe under the PMLA on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Raipur Police Station in Dehradun, relating to the leak of the UKSSSC Graduate Level (VDO/VPDO) Examination, 2021. A second FIR registered by the Vigilance Sector in Dehradun, concerning irregularities in the Village Development Officer / Village Panchayat Development Officer Examination, 2016, also formed part of the investigative basis.
The Organised Syndicate Behind the Scam
ED investigators found that an organised syndicate — led by Hakam Singh Rawat and involving employees of RMS Techno Solutions Private Limited (the printing agency engaged for the examinations), public servants, middlemen, and facilitators — systematically leaked confidential question papers and manipulated the recruitment process.
'The leaked papers were distributed to candidates through a network of intermediaries in exchange for substantial monetary consideration. The proceeds of crime were acquired, possessed and utilised for acquisition of movable and immovable assets,' the ED said in its statement.
Money Trail: ₹95 Lakh and Fake Agricultural Income
Financial investigation revealed that Hakam Singh Rawat received ₹95 lakh from money collected from candidates and allegedly attempted to project these illicit earnings as legitimate income. Analysis of his bank accounts showed substantial cash deposits inconsistent with his declared income sources.
Further scrutiny of his Income Tax Returns (ITRs) revealed disclosure of agricultural income that investigators found disproportionate to actual agricultural activity — reportedly used as a cover to justify unexplained cash deposits. According to the ED, proceeds of crime were 'layered and integrated into the financial system by way of cash deposits, misrepresentation in ITRs, and claims of agricultural income.'
Scale of Investigation and Legal Action
The ED conducted searches at 14 premises, recovering incriminating documents, digital devices, property records, and cash linked to the scam. Statements were recorded under Section 50 of PMLA. The agency has already filed a chargesheet before the PMLA Special Court at Dehradun against multiple accused, including employees of RMS Techno Solutions Private Limited, public servants, middlemen, and facilitators.
Multiple chargesheets filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttarakhand Police had earlier established the role of Rawat and associates in the organised racket. The UKSSSC scam involved large-scale malpractice across recruitment examinations held in 2016 and 2021, including tampering of OMR sheets, leakage of confidential papers, and fraudulent facilitation of candidates.
What Comes Next
With the provisional attachment now formalised under Section 5 of PMLA, 2002, the matter will proceed before the PMLA Special Court. The ED's investigation into the broader financial network — including other accused yet to be charged — is understood to be ongoing. The case underscores the vulnerability of state-level recruitment systems to organised criminal infiltration, and the growing role of financial forensics in cracking examination fraud.
Point of View
Where printing agencies, public servants, and middlemen operate as an interlocked racket. The ED's money-laundering lens adds a dimension that police FIRs alone cannot capture: the financial architecture that makes exam fraud profitable and repeatable. That Rawat allegedly routed ₹95 lakh through fake agricultural income disclosures points to a sophistication beyond opportunistic cheating. The deeper question is whether Uttarakhand's recruitment machinery has been reformed enough to prevent a third iteration — because the 2016 and 2021 episodes suggest systemic failure, not one-off misconduct.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What properties has the ED attached in the UKSSSC exam paper leak case?
The ED has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth ₹63.30 lakh belonging to key accused Hakam Singh Rawat under Section 5 of PMLA, 2002. The attachment was carried out by the ED's Dehradun Sub Zonal Office on 1 August.
Who is Hakam Singh Rawat and what is his alleged role?
Hakam Singh Rawat is identified as a central figure in the UKSSSC exam paper leak syndicate. He allegedly received ₹95 lakh from candidates for leaked question papers and attempted to conceal the proceeds through cash deposits and false agricultural income claims in his ITRs.
Which examinations were compromised in the UKSSSC scam?
The scam involved two Uttarakhand recruitment examinations — the Village Development Officer/Village Panchayat Development Officer Examination, 2016, and the UKSSSC Graduate Level (VDO/VPDO) Examination, 2021. Both involved leakage of confidential question papers and tampering of OMR sheets.
What is the role of RMS Techno Solutions Private Limited in the case?
RMS Techno Solutions Private Limited was the printing agency engaged for the UKSSSC examinations. According to the ED, employees of the firm were part of the organised syndicate that leaked confidential question papers to candidates through a network of intermediaries.
What legal action has the ED taken so far?
The ED has filed a chargesheet before the PMLA Special Court in Dehradun against multiple accused, including employees of RMS Techno Solutions, public servants, middlemen, and facilitators. Searches at 14 premises have yielded incriminating documents, digital devices, and cash linked to the scam.
