CID Summons Jharkhand Public Service Commission Members Over Recruitment Fraud
State investigators have ordered three active JPSC members to testify regarding procurement failures and systemic irregularities in civil service examinations. The probe centers on the controversial selection of a blacklisted Lucknow-based firm to manage high-stakes testing data.
Key takeaways
- Jharkhand CID summoned JPSC members Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed for questioning in mid-August.
- Investigators are probing why the blacklisted firm TSR Data Processing Private Limited was hired to manage civil service exams.
- Nineteen individuals, including the TDPL Director and JPSC Deputy Controller, have been arrested for OMR tampering and fraud.
- Protestors in Ranchi are demanding the cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Test results.
Recruitment Irregularities Trigger Criminal Summons
The Jharkhand State Crime Investigation Department (CID) has intensified its probe into systemic recruitment failures by summoning three active members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). The agency requires Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed to provide testimony on August 10, 12, and 14, respectively. This move follows ongoing public outcry at Ranchi’s Jaipal Singh Stadium, where aspirants continue to protest paper leaks and administrative malpractice.
The Role of TSR Data Processing Private Limited
Investigators are scrutinizing the empanelment of TSR Data Processing Private Limited (TDPL), a Lucknow-based entity. Despite being blacklisted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) in May 2025 due to previous irregularities, TDPL was nevertheless selected to facilitate JPSC examinations. The CID seeks to establish how a disqualified firm maintained control over sensitive testing data and administrative functions.
Discrepancies in Result Certification
The investigation has already subjected former JPSC chairman L Khyiangte to four rounds of interrogation. A primary point of contention involves the release of Preliminary Test (PT) results without the signatures of commission members. While Khyiangte asserts that internal regulations do not mandate these signatures for preliminary stages, the CID is now questioning the three summoned members to verify if they consented to being bypassed in the certification process.
Key Facts
- Law enforcement has arrested 19 individuals to date, including TDPL Director Ramveer Singh and Marketing Manager Abhay Tiwari.
- Internal JPSC arrests include Deputy Controller of Examinations Shweta Kumari Gupta and staff member Sonu Kumar.
- Accountant Rakshak Singh is under investigation for alleged OMR sheet tampering and illicit financial transactions with candidates.
- Authorities have apprehended four candidates accused of passing the exams through fraudulent means alongside three middlemen.
- Protestors demand the immediate cancellation of the 14th JPSC Civil Services Preliminary Test and a comprehensive audit of all agency-led exams.
What Happens Next
The CID anticipates that testimonies from the three commission members will clarify whether internal oversight was intentionally circumvented. Depending on the consistency of these statements, former president L Khyiangte may face a fifth round of questioning. Simultaneously, investigators are analyzing the digital footprint of computer operator Dharmendra Kumar to identify which high-ranking officials controlled the emails used in the examination process.
Source: The Hindu — National
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