Following the Calcutta High Court’s directions, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case into the alleged illegal recruitment of personnel in the Central Armed Police Forces by using forged documents between 2021-23, officials said on Wednesday. At the direction of the court, the central agency conducted a preliminary inquiry to probe the allegations that several illegal candidates were recruited in the armed forces and the Central Armed Police Forces by submitting forged certificates in which some Pakistan nationals had also benefitted, officials added. Sources said a formal FIR is registered under section 120(B), 420, 467, 468, 471, 506 IPC and Sec 7 of IPC Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) against multiple persons. “As would appear from the report filed by them (CBI), no irregularities have yet been found regarding the recruitment in the armed forces. However, as regards employment in the Central Para Military Forces, some irregularities have already been detected. During preliminary enquiry, at least four such instances have come to light,” single bench of Justice Jay Sengupta had said in his order on August 2. West Bengal, being a bordering state, provides for less cut off marks in the examinations for employment in the Central Para Military Forces. “This seems to have prompted people from other states, especially from the northern part of the country, to forge documents to show that they were domiciled in the State of West Bengal,” Justice Sengupta said. “Domicile certificates, matriculation certificates and caste certificates have been forged. It will be a matter of a more in-depth investigation whether foreign nationals have also taken recourse to the same modus operandi in applying for jobs in the Indian forces,” he had said. The order cited one such case where a domicile certificate was allegedly issued on the basis of forged orders of a sub-divisional officer. “Therefore, an FIR needs to be registered and the matter properly investigated to find out the true extent and gravity of the allegations levelled which could have a national implication,” the judge added. The High Court had also directed the state to provide all assistance to the probe agency.
