IAS whistleblower’s trail takes CBI to Chautala aides’ doorstep

The case deals with bungling in the appointment of teachers for primary schools in the state. The Chautala government is accused of replacing the original list of 3,206 selected on the basis of merit for the year 2000 with its own list, which it got signed by 57 government officials in 19 districts.

One of Kumar’s predecessors—among several to resist pressure to prepare a second list and destroy the original, only to pay with transfers—sealed the original, only to pay with transfers—sealed the original list in that almirah. Kumar found it and blew the whistle.

Acting on Kumar’s petition, the Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry into the scam in November 2003. The CBI was asked to file a report within six months.

Today, 24 CBI teams swept across Haryana and Chandigarh, conducting raids on 18 offices of District Primary Officers (DPO), the state headquarters of the Primary Education Department and the premises of two alleged middlemen.

The most significant raids were conducted on the residences of Vidyadhar, who was the officer on special duty to Chautala at the time, and Badshami, then political advisor to the CM. Incidentally, both Vidyadhar and Badshami were recently removed from their posts after Chautala’s Indian National Lok Dal received a drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar, who faced threats and has lived a life on the run for almost four years now, feels relieved and vindicated today. He also minced no words holding Chautala directly responsible. ‘‘He is the one who deserves the ultimate punishment for playing with the career of hundreds of young teachers. He should not have a taken a minute to resign, but I do not expect such a noble gesture from the Chief Minister.’’

Kumar had himself argued the case in person for five months. He was booked by the state government for committing ‘‘irregularities’’ in the printing of textbooks, faced several vigilance inquiries, an attempt was made on the life of his daughter, while he himself received several threats.

However, Kumar managed to record the threats he allegedly received from controversial godman Chandraswami. The recorded cassette is now part of case property.

It was in July 2000 that Kumar first saw the almirah with the sealed list. When he asked around, he says, he was called to the CM’s residence ‘‘and a copy of a duplicate list forcibly put in my car’’.

The next day, he called a few witnesses, released the original list that had been lying locked for eight months, took the duplicate list given to him and ‘‘decided to disappear after applying for six months’ leave’’. Under threat, he distributed the lists in bits and pieces among well-wishers from UP to Punjab for safekeeping.

Once he was targeted, he went to the Supreme Court with a copy of the second list and all other evidence, including recorded conversations.

‘‘For the Chief Minister, it is time to reveal the truth before the government gets egg on its face,’’ Kumar says. ‘‘I fought the system to save the system, and if I succeed, it means the system succeeds.’’