His role ‘under suspicion’, Bihar Police agency recommends action against ex-DGP Sanjeev Kumar Singhal in 2023 paper leak case

Currently an adviser with Bihar Power Holding Company Limited, Singhal had retired as DGP in October 2022 and joined as chairman of CSBC in January 2023. He had to quit the position in December of the same year after a question paper leak led to the cancellation of the constable recruitment examination.

The state police had advertised over 21,000 constable vacancies, for which there were 37 lakh applicants, out of which 18 lakh were found eligible to take the exam. The exams were to be held in several phases starting October 1, 2023. However, following the paper leak, the exams were cancelled on the first day itself.

It was alleged that the printing work of the question paper was awarded to a printing press with dubious credentials.

The EOU has registered 74 cases across the state in connection with the paper leak, and arrested 150 candidates.

In a letter to current Bihar DGP Alok Raj, the EOU wrote: “The investigation report suggests negligence on part of then CSBC chairman Sanjeev Kumar Singhal and standard procedures were not followed. Though the investigation report (by EOU DIG) does not show adequate evidence to initiate criminal proceedings against Singhal, he had failed in carrying out his responsibilities as the head of the selection board.”

The letter, dated September 9, said the investigation report found that Singhal was “negligent in discharging his duties and did not follow the standards established to ensure the sanctity and integrity of the chain of custody of the examination links”.

Recommending action against Singhal, the EOU letter said that “his role in the matter of paper leak by an organised criminal gang in a planned manner is found under suspicion, and sufficient evidence is available for disciplinary action”.

The EOU recommendation comes after four rounds of questioning of Singhal regarding the awarding of contract to a printing press allegedly without verifying its credentials.

The agency’s investigation suggested that gang members involved in the paper leak case had breached the chain of custody of the question papers, right from the printing process to their transportation.