After paper leak, HP scraps police recruitment test

This is for the second time within three years that the state government has nullified the examination to select constables. In August 2019, the examination was held invalid after six men were caught impersonating as candidates.

The written examination this time to recruit 1,700 constables was held on March 27 after the candidates cleared their fitness test.

The investigation of the case has been entrusted to the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID), and a five-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police Madhu Sudan has been constituted, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said.

A fresh written examination will be held later this month, he added.

The state’s Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu in a statement said that an FIR has been registered under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code in Kangra district’s Gaggal police station as some candidates allegedly resorted to cheating during the written examination.

The other members of the SIT are Commandant, 1st IRBn Bangarh Vimukat Ranjan, Kangra Superintendent of Police (SP) Khushal Chand Sharma, SP CID (Cyber Crime) Rohit Malpani and SP CID (Crime) Virender Kalia, the DGP said.

The team has been directed to take up the investigation immediately. It has also been told to investigate the case to check the angle of any financial transaction and keep the police headquarters posted periodically on the progress, he added.

In a similar case in 2019, over 39,000 candidates had appeared for the examination in 12 districts. Six men, who impersonated as candidates, were caught. A youth from Kangra district was also arrested for his alleged involvement with the main accused. Rs 6 lakh in cash was recovered from his house during a raid.

Kangra SP Khushal Sharma said answers to questions in the police recruitment written examination were shown by these candidates a day or two before the examination at Gaggal, Chandigarh, Panchkula and other places. In Kangra district, the question paper was leaked before the examination. After preliminary inquiry, an FIR was lodged against the accused who got the question paper after paying a hefty amount of money. Real culprits are yet to be nabbed, he added.

Cong targets Jai Ram Thakur govt

State Congress president Pratibha Singh termed the government’s decision to cancel the written examination of police recruitment as unfortunate and said that it is a gross injustice to the candidates who worked hard. She asked the government not to play with the future of unemployed youths. She said a special chance should be given to those youths who are getting over-aged.