Chandigarh challenges acquittal of 89 in CTU recruitment exam ‘scam’
Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Chandigarh, July 24
The UT Administration has challenged the acquittal of 89 accused in the alleged 14-year-old CTU conductor recruitment examination scam. Judicial Magistrate (First Class), Chandigarh, in an order passed in March had acquitted all 89 accused after the prosecution failed to prove the allegations.
Cheating allegations came up in March 2011
The written examination for the posts of conductor was held on October 3, 2010. A total 19,429 candidates had appeared in the written test. After the results were declared on February 25, 2011, 144 candidates were shortlisted. Soon after the result was declared allegations of cheating in the written examination surfaced in March 2011.
The written examination for the posts of conductor was held on October 3, 2010. A total 19,429 candidates had appeared in the written test. After the results were declared on February 25, 2011, 144 candidates were shortlisted. Soon after the result was declared allegations of cheating in the written examination surfaced in March 2011. It was alleged that of the short-listed, 139 candidates were from Haryana, and more than 90 were only from Sonepat district.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the UT Administration formed an inquiry committee under the chairmanship of the then UT Transport Director. The specimen handwriting of 113 candidates, along with the attendance sheets, application forms and videography, were sent to the CFSL, Sector 36, Chandigarh, for comparison.
The police also formed a special investigation team (SIT), headed by DSP (Crime), to
investigate the case.
After the investigation, a total of 89 candidates, who passed the examination, were arrested and a case was registered under Sections 419, 420, 511 and 120-B of the IPC. But the court acquitted all of them after the prosecution failed to prove the charges. The main grounds on which the accused were acquitted was the fact that the witnesses never identified any of the accused and the handwriting samples could not prove whether the writings were of those candidates. The trial court said the prosecution case was based on the specimen signatures or handwriting of the accused persons taken before the registration of the present FIR.
It said after starting of investigation in the present case, no application for taking permission to collect specimen signatures of the accused had been moved before this court. It further said the alleged specimen signatures of the accused had been taken by the committee of the department and not by an investigating agency after starting of the investigation or after arrest of the accused. So, the CFSL report relied by the prosecution was not sufficient to prove the case, the order said.
