Everybody, including the High Court, appreciated the alacrity with which State Crime Branch pursued the fraudulent case of 22 candidates in Common Entrance Test, CET-2012 scam as a result of which they manipulated selection to MBBS course of that year with the connivance of the staffers of the Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE). The selection of these blue eyed boys was made at the cost of meritorious students who protested against injustice done to them. Sometime back Crime Branch framed a case against 22 such candidates, pursued 12 for vigorous investigation and proved the crime against the culprits in the State High Court. Actually out of 22 cases 12 were completed for investigation and the High Court, finding them guilty of managing fraudulent selection, ordered immediate cancellation of their selection. It ordered the Crime Branch to step up investigation in the remaining ten cases and bring them before the court for prosecution. BOPEE authorities were directed to immediately cancel selection cum admission of the indicted candidates and fill the vacancies with merit holders in accordance with their performance record. Although nearly two months have gone by when the court order was issued but till date the BOPEE authorities have taken no action in compliance with the court order.
Taking this as a serious matter, the Bench of the High Court has expressed its displeasure on lackadaisical attitude of the BOPEE in implementing its orders. The court wonders how come that the alacrity and enthusiasm shown by the Crime Branch in the beginning when the case was filed has waned away and it no more evinces keen interest in pursuing the remaining ten cases and implementing the court order. Is it that the indicted candidates enjoy a strong clout in political circles of the State that would not allow the court order to be implemented on the ground? This is what the court has indirectly hinted at in its latest judgement. The remark of the Bench that the authorities of the BOPEE should quit if they are unable to implement the court decision and make room for dedicated and honest persons to run the affairs of the state is a clear reflection on the functioning of the BOPEE. The Government should take cognizance of the remark and act accordingly.
We have an elaborate mechanism of dealing with criminal cases. Actually a campaign is being carried out throughout the country for eradicating corruption and bribery from Government departments. Our State does not lag behind in leading a frontal attack on corruption and bribery. But one fails to understand how a Government tolerates officers and functionaries who, knowing that a case of corruption has been established by the Sate High Court against the culprits, are evading implementation of the order? The candidates who the High Court has ordered to be de-listed should have been struck off the rolls of MBBS classes and sent packing home and their vacancies should have been filled within 24 hours of the issuance of the High Court order. The court asked the Crime Branch why it has not produced the investigation report against the remaining ten candidates. This is a brazen scam and the Court rightly demands that its network should be probed into thoroughly and report submitted to the Court.
We can understand that the indicted candidates have strong political connections. They hail from rich families who could afford to pay hefty amounts of bribe to see their wards enter the portals of a Medical College. Those who helped them at the level of the BOPEE are reported to have made fortunes and the Crime Branch is fully aware of it. The Bench has demanded that full report of the assets and properties and cash holdings of the alleged culprits be submitted to it. In short the Court doubts the honesty of the Crime Branch in conducting investigation into remaining ten cases. It further sees mischief in implementing the court order because neither the fraudulent selection of 22 candidates has been quashed nor have their vacancies been filled by deserving candidates with merit. This is a litmus test of Government’s willingness to eradicate corruption lock, stock and barrel.
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