Former HC registrar sent to three-day police remand

CHANDIGARH: A local court on Friday sent former Punjab and Haryana high court registrar (recruitment), Balwinder Kumar Sharma to three-day police remand over his alleged involvement in the Haryana Civil Service (judicial) examination paper leak.

A special investigating team (SIT) of the Chandigarh police had arrested Sharma on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. The examination for the 109 HCS judicial posts was conducted on July 16, and scrapped by the high court later. 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 those involved, to some candidates.

In the trial court, the police had argued that they want to confront Kumar with another accused Sunita to clarify few things and to get more details about who all were involved. Sharma’s counsel had opposed the remand stating that he was interrogated for seven hours by police after his arrest.

Sources said the police have already got the data from the high court with records of raw results of the HCS (judicial records). The evaluation record obtained from high court which the police, are scanning to ascertain the number of beneficiaries. As per the records other accused in the case Sunita and Sushila both were toppers in their categories.

Police had registered a case on September 19 on direction of high court against Sharma, registrar (recruitment), and two candidates — Sunita and Sushila. One accused Sunita has already been arrested.

The directions were passed while accepting the recommendation of a high court committee which conducted the probe, had found that the paper was leaked and recommended registration of FIR against two candidates and Sharma.

THE EXAMINATION FOR 109 HCS JUDICIAL POSTS, CONDUCTED ON JULY 16, WAS SCRAPPED BY THE HIGH COURT LATER