J&K SI Recruitment Scam- CBI conducts searches at 33 locations across the country

New Delhi, September 13

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched search operations at multiple places across the country in connection with its probe into the Sub Inspector recruitment scam of Jammu & Kashmir.

The searches are being carried out in Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Karnal, Mahendergarh, and Rewari in Haryana,Gandhinagar in Gujarat, Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Bengaluru in Karnataka.

The premises being searched include those belonging to the former chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) Khalid Jehangir and the board’s Controller of Examination Ashok Kumar, apart from officials of J&K police and a CRPF official.

The CBI had booked three officials of the JKSSB, a BSF officer, a former CRPF officer, and a J&K policeman among others for alleged irregularities in the conduct of sub-inspector recruitment exams in the Union territory.

Those booked by the agency have been identified as Dr Karnail Singh, medical officer, BSF Frontier Hqrs, Paloura; Ashok Kumar, ASI, J&K Police; Ashwani Kumar, former CRPF Official; Avinash Gupta, owner of EDUMAX Classes, Akhnoor; Akshay Kumar, a manager in the coaching classes; Roshan Bral, a Rehbar-e-Taleem teacher; JKAS officer Narayan Dutt, who was then a member of JKSSB; Bishan Dass, then Under Secretary, JKSSB; Anju Raina, then section officer, JKSSB; and MeritTrac Services Private Limited, Bengaluru.

As per the case details, the irregularities led to an abnormally high number of candidates being selected from the Jammu, Rajouri and Samba districts.

The CBI had booked 33 people and entities, which include a coaching centre in Akhnoor and a Bengaluru-based company.
The examination was held on March 27 this year and the results were declared on June 4. However, on July 8 the J&K administration cancelled the exams.The J&K administration had also constituted an inquiry committee to look into the matter.

The CBI stated that the accused entered into conspiracy amongst officials of JKSSB, Bengaluru based private company, beneficiary candidates & others, and caused gross irregularities in the conduct of written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors. It was further alleged that there was an abnormally high percentage of selected candidates from the Jammu, Rajouri and Samba districts. The violation of rules by JKSSB was allegedly found in assigning the task of setting question paper to Bengaluru based private company.

The list of 1,200 successful candidates was declared by the JKSSB on June 4. Over 97,000 candidates had appeared in the exam for the posts. However, soon after the declaration of the result online, unsuccessful candidates took to the street alleging fraud in the recruitment process.