CB, JKP too gathered enough evidence in scam
Paper was leaked in Jalandhar, sold in Library
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 12: The Government is expected to come down heavily on the officers involved in conduct of Sub Inspectors written examination, the list of which was recently cancelled by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the probe was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) even as the Crime Branch which too had sought permission for registration of First Information Report (FIR) in the scam had almost established that paper was leaked in Jalandhar and sold initially for Rs 15 lakh followed by as low as Rs 10,000.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Government is likely to initiate action against the officers who failed to fulfill their duties of maintaining secrecy of the exam and ensure that it was successfully completed. Action will help the CBI initiate free, fair and independent probe into the scam after registration of the FIR.
“The CBI headquarters as well as Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) have cleared the probe recommended by the Jammu and Kashmir and the CBI is expected to lodge the FIR anytime this week,” sources said.
Sources now said that the Crime Branch had also initiated preliminary investigations into Sub Inspectors recruitment scam, the paper for which was conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB) through a recruitment agency. After gathering enough evidence, the Crime Branch had sought permission for registration of the FIR but by that time the Inquiry Committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Home RK Goyal submitted its report and the Government cancelled the exam and recommended the CBI inquiry.
The Crime Branch had made major headway in the scam as it established that paper was leaked in Jalandhar and first sold in a library at Akhnoor. A retired CRPF jawan from Akhnoor with the help of retired Commandant first sold the paper for Rs 15 lakh and then the rate started coming down. The rates were at the last stage reduced to Rs 10,000.
A journalist was also involved in the scam as he too managed to get the leaked paper and shared Answer Key through WhatsApp, sources said.
“All those studying in the Library cleared the examination. The question paper was then sold to youths and there were multiple families whose kin en bloc were through,” sources said.
However, it was yet to be ascertained as to which level the paper was leaked, they said, adding this as well as other aspects now will be probed by the CBI.
It was not only the Crime Branch, sources said Jammu Police had also conducted investigations after uproar over exam and it was also close to lodge the FIR in the scam at Akhnoor. Local officers in Akhnoor had brought the matter to the notice of their seniors but then they decided against lodging the FIR till high-level inquiry team headed by the Home Secretary submits reports. However, the Government then decided to handover investigations to the CBI as the scam had its roots in other States also.
Asked whether the Agency which conducted the written examination was banned by some institutions, sources said: “this is now subject matter of investigation and the CBI will do its job and find out the facts”.
It may be mentioned here that following uproar about unfair selection list in written examination of Sub Inspectors as two to three members of a family were selected, mainly in Akhnoor belt, the Lieutenant Governor had ordered probe by a high-level committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Home RK Goyal.
As the Committee confirmed irregularities in its report submitted to the Lieutenant Governor, the latter cancelled the examination and ordered CBI probe into the matter.
The CBI is expected to register the FIR in the case anytime now.
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