Police SI Recruitment Scam: J&K HC denies bail request application of accused officer, son
05-05-2023 : The Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector recruitment scam has once again brought to light the rampant corruption and malpractices prevalent in the recruitment system. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested 20 accused, including the then Medical Officer of BSF Frontier Hqrs and officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB), in connection with this scandal. The CBI investigation revealed that willing candidates paid Rs 30 lakh to access the question paper before the commencement of the examination. The majority of the accused belong to the belt forces.
One of the kingpins in the scam was Assistant Sub-Inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ashok Kumar, who was arrested along with his son Jaisuriya Sharma. The Jammu and Kashmir High Court rejected their joint bail application, citing health reasons for Kumar. Justice Mohan Lal dismissed their application, stating that at this stage, when the investigation is yet to be completed, bail ought not to be granted. The court also remarked that the petitioners had failed to carve out a strong case for bail in their favour.
The J&K Government had constituted an inquiry committee to look into the allegations of malpractices in the examination, which was conducted by the JKSSB on 27.03.2022, and the results were declared on 04.06.2022. It was alleged that the accused entered into a conspiracy with officials of the JKSSB, a Bengaluru-based private company, beneficiary candidates, and others and caused gross irregularities in the conduct of the written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors. The investigation revealed that there was an abnormally high percentage of selected candidates from the Jammu, Rajouri, and Samba districts.
The violation of rules by the JKSSB was allegedly found in assigning the task of setting the question paper to the Bengaluru-based private company. The investigation has revealed that willing candidates paid Rs 30 lakh (approx) to the accused for accessing the question paper before the commencement of the examination. The scam was not limited to the recruitment of Sub-Inspectors in Jammu and Kashmir, as question papers of Junior Engineer (Civil) were also sold to some influential candidates who were ready to pay the amount.
The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) conducted the recruitment examination in March, but the list of 1,200 selected candidates, along with that of 1,300 junior engineers and 1,000 finance account assistants, was canceled by the administration in July following allegations of paper leak and malpractice.
The J&K Government needs to take stern action against those involved in the recruitment scam and implement stricter rules and regulations to prevent such scams from happening in the future. The government should take steps to make the recruitment process more transparent and merit-based. The authorities should also conduct a thorough investigation and prosecute the accused to ensure that justice is done. The government must ensure that the recruitment process is fair and free of corruption and that the deserving candidates are selected based on their merit and not on the basis of any illegal activity.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector recruitment scam has exposed the dark underbelly of the recruitment system. It is imperative that the government takes swift and stringent action to ensure that such scams do not occur in the future. The authorities must implement stricter rules and regulations to prevent corruption and malpractices in the recruitment process. The government should also ensure that the recruitment process is transparent and merit-based and that deserving candidates are selected based on their abilities and not on the basis of any illegal activity.
