Case registered over selection of fire dept staff

The J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a case regarding alleged irregularities in the selection process for fireman/fireman driver posts in the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department. The investigation follows a communication dated July 27 from the General Administration Department (GAD), which included an inquiry committee’s report recommending a criminal investigation.

The inquiry committee had found evidence of paper leakage and other discrepancies in the selection process conducted in 2020. Based on these findings, the competent authority directed the ACB to investigate the matter.

The selection process for fireman/fireman driver posts was first advertised in 2013 by the Departmental Recruitment Board (DRB) of the F&ES Department. However, due to discrepancies, the process was terminated. In 2018, the recruitment process was restarted following directions from the High Court of J&K.

In 2019, allegations of mass copying during the written examination prompted the government to cancel the test and order it to be conducted afresh.

The bureau cited probe findings, stating that during the course of the investigation, the question papers were found to be beyond the comprehension of candidates who had studied up to Class VIII, which is the required minimum qualification for the posts.

The statement further alleged that the then members of the Departmental Recruitment Board, members of the Technical Committee and officers/officials of the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department, who were associated with the recruitment process, acted in collusion and "abused their official positions for extraneous considerations".

The bureau concluded that these actions constituted punishable offences. Consequently, a case was registered.