BJP demands CBI probe into JSSC paper leak case

RANCHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the JSSC graduate-level competitive examination paper leak after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) disclosure to the PMLA court about the sharing of admit cards from former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren’s associate Binod Singh’s WhatsApp, people close to the matter said.

The Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha staged a demonstration near Raj Bhawan for the demand, and the party’s state spokesperson, Kunal Sadangi, addressed media persons raising the same demand on Thursday.

BJP state president Babulal Marandi, who participated in the protest, said that the JMMled government in the state was engaged in ruining not only the future of children and youth but also the future of Jharkhand.

“Not only the youth but the entire state is suffering due to the misdeeds of JSSC under the protection of the JMM-led Jharkhand government,” Marandi said.

“..... 539 pages of information that the ED has given in the court to extend the remand period of Hemant Soren, it has been written that the mobile and home of Hemant’s close friend architect Vinod Singh were being used for corrupt practices. A large number of admit cards of students appearing for JSSC examinations have been recovered...,” Marandi said.

Sadangi termed the entire incident a “scam of youngsters’ future” and said “a CBI probe” is a must in the matter.

A police official said the question paper was leaked before the commencement of the examination on January 28, and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) got this information through social media.

The police registered a first information report (FIR) under sections 467, 468, 420 (120B), IPC 66, IT Act, and Jharkhand Conduct of Examination Act 2001 based on a complaint by the Commission, which cancelled the examination.

A special five-member task force was constituted under the leadership of Ranchi Sadar DSP Sanjeev Kumar Besra.

ED also wrote to Ranchi police to provide an FIR copy in the matter and planned to probe the money laundering angle.

After the leak of the question paper, protests were organised in different parts of the including Ranchi, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Giridih, Hazaribagh, Koderma, Jamshedpur, Ramgarh, and Seraikela, demanding a CBI investigation.

In Ranchi, protesters also damaged the vehicles of JSSC chairman Neeraj Sinha.

JSSC chairman Neeraj Sinha and other JSSC officials were not available for comment on the matter. However, an insider said JSSC has practically no role in the entire process required for organizing examinations, as it is outsourced.

“The entire examination work has been outsourced. All processes, from receiving online application forms to preparing the results, are conducted through outsourced agencies. These agencies decide which examination center will be assigned to which candidates, which experts will select the examination questions, what the questions will be, what their answers will be, and which question set will be given to which candidate to answer,” the insider said.

A POLICE OFFICIAL SAID THE QUESTION PAPER WAS LEAKED BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXAMINATION ON JANUARY 28, AND THE JSSC GOT THE INFORMATION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA