Bappa and Gopal Das, the alleged masterminds of the police job racket, had also fielded dummy candidates in recruitment tests for positions in the land reforms and social welfare departments and the state public service commission.

During raids on their houses in Konnagar on Tuesday night, officers of the detective department seized several admit cards and other documents that indicate that the two have been running the racket for nearly 10 years.

The raids followed the arrest of Partho Saha 33, the owner of a photography studio in Konnagar.

“Saha used to tamper the photographs of job applicants to help Bappa and Gopal field dummy candidates. It was done in a very organised manner,” said deputy commissioner (detective department) Jawed Shamim.

“Besides fielding dummy candidates in tests to recruit constables, the two had also helped people get jobs fraudulently in other government departments. We have seized several documents and are examining them,” said an investigating officer.

The investigators suspect that several constables had landed their job fraudulently with the help of the racket.

“The duo made a lot of money through the racket. We are trying to find out whether more people are involved, especially within the police force. Bappa and Gopal had been running the racket long before they were sacked from the force in 2006,” said an officer investigating the case.

He ruled out the possibility of involvement of senior officers saying there was no such evidence. “It is very important to nab Bappa and Gopal to get to the bottom of the scam,” he said.

Saha was basically a photographer who had got involved with the racket for easy money, according to the police.

He was produced in Bankshal court on Wednesday and remanded in police custody till May 13.

The racket was busted over a fortnight ago after Debasis Manna went to Lalbazar to collect his appointment letter. Officers suspected foul play as his physique did not match the vital statistics mentioned in the documents.

Manna’s arrest led to the arrest of four others who were undergoing training to join the force as constables.