Alleged fraud in hiring of 13 personnel in Delhi Fire Services

An FIR was filed after a preliminary inquiry into a complaint lodged by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) on June 20.

Delhi Police’s crime branch have lodged a First Information Report in connection with the selection of at least 13 people in the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) by allegedly using fraudulent ways, including impersonation of the candidates, officers in the know of the matter said on Monday.

DFS officers said that the department through Delhi government issued a notification in 2018-19 for recruiting 800 fire operators in the fire department. (Photos: Gokul VS/HT) (Gokul VS/HT)

The FIR was registered on July 22 under sections 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code following preliminary inquiry into a complaint lodged by the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board (DSSSB) on June 20, the officers said.

“We have learnt that some candidates used fraudulent ways to secure the job. DSSSB has the list of such candidates, and a case has been filed with the police. DFS has not been apprised about the same. The medical examination test of the selected candidates is under process,” said DFS director Atul Garg.

DFS officers said that the department through Delhi government issued a notification in 2018-19 for recruiting 800 fire operators in the fire department. The recruitment procedure began in mid-2019 and selection of 706 fire operators was done by the end of 2022. The selection process is currently in its final stage, as the selected candidates are now being called in for medical examination, which is the final test before induction of the candidates in the DFS, the officers said.

DSSSB in its complaint has alleged that during the scrutiny of the biometric reports taken during the computer-based test (CBT) and driving skill test of the selected candidates, it emerged that some candidates were involved in unfair means, malpractices, and criminal activities such as cheating, impersonation, forgery and conspiracy during the exams, a senior police officer said.

As many as 13 such candidates were identified based on the handwriting and biometrics taken during the CBT and driving test, but they did not match, the officer said.

“In some cases, the photographs also did not match. It appeared that the original candidate used a proxy who appeared in CBT on his or her behalf to clear the exams. After CBT was cleared, the candidates in question physically appeared for the driving test,” the officer said.

The police said that DSSSB has provided them with details and relevant documents of the 13 candidates for help during the investigation.

“The documents will be thoroughly examined and accordingly, the probe will proceed. The candidates in question will be served notices, asking them to join the probe. If found involved, they will be arrested accordingly. We will also be probing if any organised syndicate was involved,” a second police officer said.