Grant of sanction to prosecute former HPSC functionaries: Promotion of 11 HCS officers to IAS comes under cloud

UPSC asked the state government to revisit the matter after the latter sent a proposal to promote these officers

The prospects of 11 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers of the 2002 batch to get promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) looks uncertain following the grant of sanction by the President to prosecute former Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) chairperson, KC Bangar and five former members for allegedly misusing their official position in conduct of 2001 HCS (executive branch) and allied services examination. The exam was conducted by the HPSC during the INLD rule in Haryana with former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala at the helm. The 11 officers are Veena Hooda, Surender Singh-1, Jagdeep Dhanda, Dr Sarita Malik, Kamlesh Bhadoo, Munish Nagpal, Kuldhir Singh, Vatsal Vashisht, Jag Niwas, Mahabir Prasad and Mahender Pal.

The 11 officers are Veena Hooda, Surender Singh-1, Jagdeep Dhanda, Dr Sarita Malik, Kamlesh Bhadoo, Munish Nagpal, Kuldhir Singh, Vatsal Vashisht, Jag Niwas, Mahabir Prasad and Mahender Pal.

Officials said that since a chargesheet would be filed against the former HPSC chairperson and members in a court of law, the names of the candidates who were favoured and benefitted due to the alleged irregularities committed by the former HPSC chairperson and members would also figure in the chargesheet. “Hence, the HCS officers of 2002 batch named in the chargesheet cannot be considered for promotion to the IAS,” officials said.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in a May 2 communication had asked the Haryana government to revisit the matter and clarify the position after the latter had in December 2022 sent an eligibility list containing names of the 11 HCS officers of the 2002 batch to the UPSC to prepare a select list for promotion of these HCS officers to the IAS of Haryana cadre.

The UPSC’s communication said that the report of state vigilance bureau (renamed now anti-corruption bureau) has indicated that the selection process for recruitment to the 2001 and 2004 HCS (executive branch) and allied services examinations was manipulated, and the entire recruitment process was completely vitiated.

“It is observed from the September 8, 2o22, report of the state vigilance bureau that some of the candidates whose names figure in this vigilance report also figured in the eligibility lists received from the state government for promotion to the IAS of Haryana cadre for select lists of 2020 and 2021. However, an April 7, 2023, communication from the state government has simply informed that the said report has no bearing on the proposals furnished by the state government for preparation of select lists of 2020 and 2021 for promotion to IAS of Haryana cadre,’’ the UPSC wrote.

The UPSC also asked the state government to intimate the status of a writ petition filed by former Haryana minister Karan Singh Dalal in the Punjab and Haryana high court challenging the 2001 HCS selections. The Commission also sought to know whether there was a stay order with respect to the stated case. “It may also be intimated whether there is any change in the status of disciplinary proceedings and criminal proceedings intimated earlier of the HCS officers mentioned in the eligibility list or zone of consideration,’’ the UPSC has asked.

Subsequently, the personnel department on May 25 wrote to the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) to offer their comments on the matter and communicate the status of the investigation in first information report number 20 of Oct 18, 2005.

FIR number 20 was registered by ACB under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120 B of the IPC and Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against former HPSC chairperson KC Bangar and members at Hisar. The President’s sanction to prosecute communicated by the Union personnel ministry to Haryana on June 7 said the perusal of ACB records revealed that these former HPSC functionaries misused their official position and showed undue favour for illegal gratification and committed irregularities resulting in selection of ineligible candidates at the cost of eligible candidates for HCS and other allied services exam in 2001 and 2004, thereby committing offences punishable under Sections 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the IPC and Sections 7 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.