JE (Jal Shakti Deptt) Recruitment Scam: CBI registers FIR against former J&K SSB Admin Officer, officials & beneficiaries

CBI already probing J&K Police S-I paper leak scam, Accounts Asstt selection scam

STATE TIMES NEWS

JAMMU: Former Administrative Officer of J&K Service Selection Board (J&K SSB) Mamta Rajput, JKAS, presently posted as District Special Welfare Officer Jammu, Section Officer J&K SSB Anju Raina, other officials of J&K SSB, printer MeritTrac Services Private Ltd and various beneficiaries have been booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for their alleged involvement in Junior Engineer (Jal Shakti) Recruitment Scam.
FIR RC0042023A0001 registered with CBI Jammu states that Report of Inquiry submitted by J&K government prima facie revealed criminal conspiracy amongst officers/officials of JKSSB, M/s MeritTrac Service Private Limited Bengaluru, beneficiaries and other accused persons dishonestly causing gross irregularities in conduct of written examination for the post of Junior Engineers (Civil) Jal Shakti Department conducted by J&K SSB on March 20, 2022. On August 28, 2022, amid continuous protests by aspirants, the Jammu and Kashmir government cancelled selection process of two recruitments by Service Selection Board (SSB) and ordered a CBI probe into selection of financial account assistants (FAA) and junior engineers(JE) over allegations of irregularities including paper leak and changing of QMR sheets in lieu of Rs 25 to Rs 30 lakh. The cancellation of this exam came more than a month after the administration had cancelled the process for selection of sub inspectors of J&K Police.
“JKSSB FAAs & JE Civil recruitment has been cancelled & a CBI probe recommended into selection process,” J&K government had stated in a tweet, adding “Government assures all the aspirants that culprits will not be spared & there won’t be any compromise on merit. Fresh recruitment process for FAAs and JE Civil will start soon.”
The cancellation comes after a high-level committee gave its report to government. Earlier, the CBI had registered FIR in J&K Police Sub Inspectors Paper Leak Scam.
In August, FIR was registered by the CBI on the request of the government of Jammu and Kashmir to investigate the allegations of irregularities in the written examination conducted by the JKSSB on March 27, 2022 for the recruitment of 1,200 Sub-Inspectors of Jammu and Kashmir Police. The result of this examination was declared on June 4, 2022.
In this case, 13 accused, including the Commandant of Border Security Force, one Assistant Sub Inspector and two constables of Jammu and Kashmir Police, one Central Reserve Police Force Constable, one ex-CRPF official, one teacher, were arrested. Over 36 places were raided to seize records required to produce in court.
Acting tough in the J&K Police Sub Inspectors paper leakage scam, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) had also arrested Dr Karnail Singh, Medical Officer, BSF Frontier Headquarters, Paloura for detailed interrogation as it was established that he was instrumental in selling J&K Police S-I leaked question paper for hefty amount.
Earlier, the CBI had arrested Raman Sharma son of Chuni Lal, a resident of village Nore in Maira Mandrian area of Khour, posted as Selection Grade Constable (SgCT) in Jammu and Kashmir Police, Suresh Sharma, son of Ram Lal Sharma, a resident of Kaink Jageer in Akhnoor, a tout and Jagdish Sharma, son of Dhani Ram, resident of Masyal Narayana in Khour, a Government teacher.
Kewal Krishan, an IRP constable posted at Mattan in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Ashwani Kumar, son of Mela Ram of Kachryal in Khour, who had taken voluntary retirement from CRPF to run paper leak racket and Rakesh Kumar of Pel in Khour area of Akhnoor, who had collected Rs 1.25 crore from the beneficiaries were also arrested.
On November 30, the Central Bureau of Investigation carried out searches at 14 locations across Jammu and Samba in connection with alleged irregularities in an exam by Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for the posts of Accounts Assistant, Finance Department.
Sources informed that huge transactions took place in Panchyat Assistants exam also. And after its preliminary inquiry, the CBI is likely to register another case within next few weeks.