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Yashpal Chauhan, a resident of Vikas Nagar in Dehradun, cleared the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduation level examination in December last year after eight long years of preparation for government recruitments, and is uncertain about his future. The story is similar for hundreds of candidates whose fate hangs in the balance after allegations of “paper leakage” surfaced.
916 candidates were selected out of 1.60 lakh candidates who appeared for the UKSSSC graduate level examination conducted in three shifts on December 4 and 5 last year.
“The document verification of the selected candidates was completed but before the final list was sent to the government for UKSSSC appointments, the paper leak scam came to light,” UKSSSC Secretary Surendra Singh Rawat said. He replaced Santosh Badoni, who was removed as secretary in August this year for “negligence in duty”.
“Jo bhi sarkar faisla le jaldi le, hum dusre parekesh ki tayari bi nahi kar pa rahe h (What the government should decide, it should be decided quickly… We could not study for other competitive exams,” said one. Yashpal Chauhan was worried.
“The government should take a call immediately whether to cancel the exam or give joining letters to those who have cleared the exam after working hard,” he said.
Chauhan said that even though he cleared the exam, the government should cancel it in view of the mass irregularities revealed in the investigation by the special task force of the Uttarakhand police. “If the government exam is cancelled, I am not afraid that the hardworking candidates will again make it to the merit list,” he said.
The paper leak came to light after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s directive to Director General of Police Ashok Kumar on July 22 registered a case related to the STF issue. Within two days, six people were investigated by the STF. Around 40 people have been arrested so far in the case, including several members of an organized fraud ring based in Uttar Pradesh. In the investigation, it was found that 30% of the selected students used unfair means to clear the exam, which shows the magnitude of paper leakage.
The Uttarakhand Cabinet handed over the conduct of Group C examinations to the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission on September 9 to ensure transparency.
UKSSSC Secretary Rawat said that a decision can be taken only after the STF investigation is completed. Once they submit a closure report, we will proceed. I have only read in one media report that their investigation is 90% complete.
An official in the know said the STF has so far filed chargesheet against 39 accused in the court.
Ayush Aggarwal, Senior Superintendent of Police, STF, said that our investigation is on for irregularities in various examinations. In the UKSSSC exam case, we have filed chargesheet against most of the accused involved, but the investigation is still on.
Bobby Panwar, head of an organization working for the rights of unemployed youth, said, “Those who are asking to cancel the exam may be selfish, those who want to join may be selfish, but we have no personal goals. We want to save from corruption for the betterment of the state. We, therefore, demand that whatever irregularity is established in any examination, it should be immediately quashed and re-examination ordered. It will ensure justice and set a good example for the future.
Of the total arrested so far, 22 have been released on bail, including seven who were booked under the stringent Gangster Act.
Prominent accused like Chandan Manral, who is said to be a member of an organized fraud ring based in Uttar Pradesh, are among those who got bail.
However, STF officials said Rajesh Chauhan, owner of Lucknow-based RMS Technosolutions (India) Pvt Ltd, Uttarkashi District Panchayat member Hakam Singh Rawat and other key accused are still in custody.
On September 3, police registered a First Information Report against 21 accused, including Manral, at Raipur police station in Dehradun under the Uttar Pradesh Gangs and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The police informed that action will be started soon. Confiscation of ill-gotten gains.
Meanwhile, the police have decided to approach the High Court against the bail of the main accused in the case.
The state unit of the Congress accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of “deliberately not pursuing the case properly to benefit the accused”.
State Congress president Karan Mahara said: “We knew from the beginning that the STF was not pursuing the case vigorously. That is why the accused get bail. She told the High Court that there was no need for CBI investigation in the case. Now it is clear why they rejected it. That is a serious concern. Our party will continue to raise its voice.
In their retort, BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said, “Congress has a problem with everything. If the accused are out on bail, it does not mean that they are acquitted. It is a legal process.”
“Congress is just doing politics on the issue. He said that the Chief Minister has instructed the STF to approach the High Court against the lower court order to tighten the noose.
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