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UKSSSC paper leak: Uncertainty looms over fate of aspirants
The paper leak came to light after the STF had registered a case in connection with the matter on chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s instructions to director general of police Ashok Kumar on July 22.
Resident of Dehradun’s Vikas Nagar, Yashpal Chauhan, who had cleared the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate level exam in December last year after eight long years of preparation for the government recruitments, is uncertain about his future. The story is similar for the hundreds of candidates whose fate is hanging in a balance since the allegations of “paper leak” has come to the fore.
As many as 916 candidates were selected out of around 1.60 lakh aspirants who had appeared in the UKSSSC graduate level exam, conducted on December 4 and 5 last year in three shifts.
“The document verification of the selected candidates was completed but before the UKSSSC could send the final list to the government for appointments, the paper leak scam came to light,” said UKSSSC secretary Surendra Singh Rawat. He replaced Santosh Badoni who was removed from the secretary’s post on charges of “negligence in duty” in August earlier this year.
“Jo bhi Sarkar faisla le jaldi le, ham dusre exam ki tayari b nahi kar pa rahe h (Whatever government has to decide, it should decide faster...we haven’t been able to study for other competitive exams,” said a worried Yashpal Chauhan.
“The government should take a call immediately whether they want to cancel the exam or issue joining letters to those who cleared the exam with hard work,” he said.
Chauhan said even though he has cleared the exam, the government should cancel it in view of the mass irregularities that came to light during the investigation of Uttarakhand police’s special task force. “I have no fear if government cancels the exam, hardworking aspirants will make it to the merit list again,” he said.
The paper leak came to light after the STF had registered a case in connection with the matter on chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s instructions to director general of police Ashok Kumar on July 22. The STF made six arrests within the two days of the investigation. Over 40 people, including many belonging to an organised cheating gang based in Uttar Pradesh, have been arrested in the case so far. During the course of investigation, it was found that around 30% of the selected students had used unfair means to clear the exam, showing the magnanimity of the paper leak.
The Uttarakhand cabinet on September 9 handed over the conduct of group C examinations to the Uttarakhand Public Service Commission to ensure transparency.
UKSSSC secretary Rawat said, “We can only take a decision after the STF completes its investigation. Once they will submit a closure report, we will proceed. I have only read in a media report that their investigation is 90% completed.”
The STF has so far filed charge sheet against 39 accused in the court, according to an official known to the matter.
STF senior superintendent of police Ayush Aggarwal said, “Our investigation for irregularities in various exams is underway. In the UKSSSC exam case, we have filed a charge sheet against most of the accused people involved but the probe is still ongoing.”
Bobby Panwar, who heads an organisation that works for the rights of the unemployed youth, said, “Those asking for the cancellation of the exam could be selfish, those seeking joining could be selfish but we have no personal objective. We just want the state to be saved from corruption for its betterment. Hence, we demand that in whichever exam the irregularities have been confirmed should be cancelled immediately and a re-exam should be ordered. It will ensure justice and set a good precedent for the future.”
Of the total accused arrested so far, 22, including seven who were booked under the stringent Gangsters Act, have managed to come out on bail.
Those getting bail also included key accused like Chandan Manral, described as a member of the organised cheating gang based in Uttar Pradesh.
However, the owner of Lucknow-based tech firm RMS Technosolutions (India) Pvt Ltd, Rajesh Chauhan, Uttarkashi zila panchayat member Hakam Singh Rawat and other key accused are still behind the bars, an STF official privy to the development said.
On September 3, the police had registered the first information report against 21 accused, including Manral, under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act at Dehradun’s Raipur police station.The police had said that they will soon start the process of seizure of illegally acquired properties.
Meanwhile, the police have decided to approach the high court against the bail of the key accused in the case.
The state unit of Congress has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of “deliberately not pursuing the case in a proper manner to benefit the accused”.
State Congress president Karan Mahara said: “We knew right from the beginning that STF is not pursuing the case strongly. That’s why the accused are getting bail. They told the high court that a CBI investigation into the matter is not required. It’s clear now why they didn’t want it. It’s a serious concern. Our party will continue to raise our voice.”
In their rebuttal, BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said, “Congress has a problem with everything. If the accused have come out on bail, that doesn’t mean they have been set free. It’s a legal process”.
“Congress is just doing politics on the issue. The chief minister has already given instructions to the STF to approach the high court against the lower court’s decision to tighten the noose around them,” he said.
