HCS-judicial paper leak: Chandigarh police finally register case against three accused

On Sept 15, Punjab and Haryana high court had ordered the UT police to register FIR against Balwinder Kumar Sharma, registrar (recruitment) and two candidates Sunita and Sushila who topped the exam

CHANDIGARH: The Chandigarh police have finally registered a first information report (FIR) against three accused, including Balwinder Kumar Sharma, registrar (recruitment), in connection with the alleged leak of question paper of the Haryana Civil Service (judicial) examination.

The Punjab and Haryana high court had on September 15 ordered the police to register FIR against Sharma, whose name had figured in the case, and two candidates — Sunita and Sushila.

The high court passed it directions while accepting the recommendation of a HC committee which conducted a probe into the matter.

Having found that the paper was leaked, the committee had recommended registration of FIR against Sharma and the two candidates. The examination for the posts of 109 officers was conducted on July 16 and was later scrapped by the HC.

“We have registered the case as per the directives of the high court,” said Ravi Kumar, superintendent of police (SP), who is heading the special investigation team (SIT) formed to probe the in the case. The FIR has been registered at Sector-3 police station.

The matter reached the high court through a petition of Suman, a Pinjore resident, who had sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe alleging that the paper leak was a “package deal” offered by the accused to some candidates. The panel concluded that Sushila and her co-conspirator Sunita were average students, who had not qualified any judicial exam in the past, but topped the HCS (judicial) examination. They were also average students at the Chandigarh-based coaching academy they were enrolled at.

CALL RECORD OF ACCUSED

As per the findings of the committee, 760 calls were exchanged between Sharma and Sunita.

The high court committee had recommended FIR against Balwinder Sharma as he was part of the examination exercise from the beginning of the process in May.

He also had the custody of the question papers from the time of their setting till their distribution for the examination.

The master copy of the question papers and the pen drive with an answer key also remained in Balwinder’s custody till July 17, a day after the examination.

We have registered the case as per the directives of the high court to the Chandigarh police. RAVI KUMAR, superintendent of police