CBI chargesheets 88 in Himachal Pradesh cop recruitment paper leak case

Shimla, March 11

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) here today filed two chargesheets in a competent court against 88 accused who were involved in Himachal Pradesh police constable recruitment question paper leak scam that occurred in 2022.

Over 75,000 candidates took exam

• On March 27, 2022, written examination for 1,334 posts of constable in Himachal Pradesh police was conducted in which over 75,000 candidates appeared
• However, the exam was later cancelled after it came to light that its question papers had been leaked

On March 27, 2022, written examination for 1,334 posts of constable was conducted in which over 75,000 candidates appeared. However, the exam was later cancelled after it came to light that its question papers have been leaked. The then state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter.

The probe was then handed over to CBI after a notification that was issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on the request of state government. The CBI then took over the investigation of two cases that were registered at Gaggal and Shimla.

During the course of probe, it was revealed that two accused from Bihar entered into a conspiracy with other accused to steal the questions paper of the said exam through various middlemen. These middlemen provided the question papers to candidates in lieu of money ranging from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh at Mandi, Kangra, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Zirakpur and Mohali.

It was also revealed that about Rs 1.25 crore were routed between the accounts of accused persons during the relevant period. The investigation disclosed nexus of organised groups based in Bihar, UP, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Haryana, in the leakage of exam papers.

It was also found that persons running various private institutes at Nalanda (Bihar), Kangra (HP), Rohtak (Haryana), Delhi and Jammu connived and have been chargesheeted. Names of the institutes are being forwarded to NTA (National Testing Agency) for suitable action as their role also came on record during investigation.

The role of the then public servants belonging to Indian Railways, Himachal Pradesh Education Department, then Junior Engineer (JE) and Junior Office Assistant (JOA) of Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board, then Constable of Chandigarh Police, then official of Delhi Government, an ex-servicemen and then official of Defence Accounts & Audit, also surfaced during the probe.

The CBI has recommended a departmental action against then police officials for alleged lapses and negligence on their part which came on record during investigation.