Planning Board exam irregularities: Crime Branch books ‘officials of PSC’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Crime Branch has registered a case against officials of the Public Service Commission (PSC) over alleged examination irregularities in recruitment to the State Planning Board, though the FIR does not name any individual.

The case was registered at the Crime Branch headquarters on the basis of legal advice. The accused have been listed only as “officials of PSC” in the FIR. Investigators suspect the involvement of senior officials, including those in the PSC’s examination wing.

The case follows a recommendation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General Ajeetha Beegum. The SIT submitted its findings to Crime Branch Chief H. Venkatesh after a review meeting.

The SIT found that serious irregularities had occurred in the recruitment process for three categories of posts in the Planning Board. The investigation found that the PSC had published rank lists for senior posts without evaluating all the answer sheets.

Despite subsequently obtaining concrete evidence of the lapse, the authorities did not order a re-evaluation of the answer sheets or revise the rank lists, the SIT found.

The investigation has also found that some of those appointed through the process had links with Left-wing leaders.
The Crime Branch is also expected to register a separate case soon into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of project assistants at the Backward Classes Development Corporation.