CBI arrests 3 accused in J&K over alleged irregularities in recruitment of SIs in J&K Police

NEW DELHI, SEPTEMBER 16: In a recent update on the Jammu and Kashmir Sub-Inspector recruitment scam, three persons have been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday morning. Notably, this came two days after CBI registered a case against 33 accused in allegations regarding malpractices in the examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors.

Police constable Raman Sharma, Akhnoor Tout Suresh Kumar, and Akhnoor Teacher Jagdish Sharma have been arrested by CBI. The residences of all three accused were raided on Tuesday. Several digital devices and documents have been seized by CBI and more arrests are likely in Jammu over alleged irregularities in Jammu and Kashmir SI recruitment.

CBI raids multiple locations in Jammu

Notably, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted raids at multiple locations in Jammu after a case was registered against 33 accused in allegations over alleged irregularities in Jammu and Kashmir Sub-Inspector recruitment.

The premises covered in the searches include Khalid Jehangir, the former chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) and Ashok Kumar, the Controller of Examination JKSSB.

CBI conducted searches at Jammu, Srinagar; Karnal, Mahendergarh, Rewari in Haryana; Gandhinagar in Gujarat; Delhi; Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh and Bengaluru in Karnataka.

Several people including the PRO of former Deputy Jammu and Kashmir were under the scanner. The raids started early morning on Tuesday and over a dozen locations were raided by CBI. Raids were conducted in the Domana area of Jammu, and the Khod area of the Akhnoor sub-sector of Jammu.

Several people have been named in the FIR of the CBI after gross, undue favour was given to many people in Jammu’s, Rajouri, and Samba districts. J&K police conducted a preliminary inquiry which found that there was a gross violation of the rules and norms in the SI recruitment.

Allegations in the SI recruitment examination
“The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case on the request of the Jammu and Kashmir administration against 33 accused on the allegations of irregularities in written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors in the J&K Police on 27.03.2022, conducted by J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB),” the CBI said on August 5 after registration of the FIR.

The CBI further informed that the accused entered into a conspiracy among officials of JKSSB, a Bengaluru-based private company, beneficiary candidates and others, and caused gross irregularities in the conduct of written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors.

“It was further alleged that there was an abnormally high percentage of selected candidates from Jammu, Rajouri and Samba districts,” the CBI has said.

Violation of rules by JKSSV was allegedly found in assigning the task of setting question papers to a Bengaluru-based private company.