Jammu: The sleuths of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday conducted searches in Jammu, Pathankot, and Haryana in the J&K Police Sub Inspector recruitment scam.
The searches were conducted at two residences of the accused persons in Jammu, two places in Pathankot, and three places in Haryana.
“The searches were conducted at the residences of CRPF constable Kashmir Singh and IRP constable of J&K Police Vikas Sharma about the J&K Police’s SI scam in Jammu,” an official said.
The CBI teams conducted similar searches in Pathankot, Punjab in two places at the residence of CRPF constable Atul Kumar and another person Tarsem Lal.
“Three residences of CRPF constable Surinder Singh, Yatin Yadav, and a person Surinder Singh were raided in Rewari and Karnal,” the officials said.
According to official sources, two of the accused persons Surinder Singh and Yatin Yadav, whose residences were searched, were already arrested by the CBI.
Singh is in police custody while Yadav is in judicial custody.
On Monday, the CBI arrested four persons including a constable of CRPF Surinder Kumar, and J&K Police’s ASI Ashok Kumar for their role in the recruitment scam.
The CBI has arrested 13 accused including two J&K Police constables, a CRPF official, former paramilitary personnel, a government teacher, a BSF Commandant, and a J&K Police ASI.
Cash of Rs 61.79 lakh has also been recovered by the CBI in the case so far.
During the investigation, it was found that the packing incharge of the printing press stole the question paper of J&K Police’s SI examination while it was being packed, and sold the leaked question paper to Rewari-based Yadav who was arrested on Monday.
“Yadav contacted the other touts based in J&K for soliciting candidates for sale of leaked question paper,” the CBI said.
The touts of J&K allegedly took the candidates from Jammu to Karnal, Haryana a day before the examination.
The vehicles for transporting the candidates to Karnal were arranged by the accused J&K Police ASI Ashok Kumar, who was also arrested on Monday.
The Karnal-based accused arranged the hotel for providing leaked question papers to candidates at Karnal.
Surinder Singh allegedly provided leaked question papers to certain candidates.
The CBI registered this case on August 3, on the request of the J&K government against 33 accused including the then Medical Officer, BSF Frontier Headquarters, Paloura, then Member, JKSSB, then Under Secretary, then Section Officer (both of JKSSB), Ex-Official of CRPF, ASI of J&K Police, owner of a coaching centre in Akhnoor, and a private company based at Bengaluru on the allegations of irregularities in written examination for the posts of Sub-Inspectors in the J&K Police conducted by J&K Services Selection Board (J&K SSB) in March.
The results were declared on June 4.
There were allegations regarding malpractices in the examination.
The J&K government had constituted an inquiry committee to look into it.
It was alleged that the accused hatched a conspiracy with officials of JKSSB, a Bengaluru-based private company, beneficiary candidates, and others, and caused gross irregularities in the conduct of written examinations for the posts of Sub-Inspectors.
There was an abnormally high percentage of selected candidates from the Jammu, Rajouri, and Samba districts. Violation of rules by J&K SSB was allegedly found in assigning the task of setting question papers to the Bengaluru-based private company.
Searches were earlier conducted on August 5 at 30 locations including at Jammu, Srinagar, and Bengaluru on the premises of the accused.
The investigation has revealed that the alleged payment of Rs 20 to 30 lakh was made by willing candidates and their families to the accused for accessing the question paper before the commencement of the examination.
In this regard, the involvement of a gang domiciled in Haryana, certain teachers of J&K, and some serving and retired personnel of CRPF, J&K Police, and J&K SSB has allegedly come to light.
Further investigation into the matter is on.