Chhattisgarh High Court Halts Constable Recruitment Amid Corruption Allegations
Judicial Intervention in Constable Recruitment
In a significant legal development, the Chhattisgarh High Court has intervened in the recruitment process for 6000 constables, directing the state government to suspend all new appointments. Justice PP Sahu, presiding over a single-judge bench, emphasized that no new joining letters should be issued until the next court hearing or a final ruling is made. The state government disclosed that appointment letters had already been distributed to around 2500 candidates. However, the court has put a temporary hold on further proceedings and has requested a response from the government within a two-week timeframe. The next court date is set for February 23.
Allegations of Corruption in Recruitment Process
Numerous candidates from districts such as Sakti, Bilaspur, Raigarh, and Mungeli have filed petitions with the High Court. Among the petitioners are individuals like Manohar Patel, Vivek Dubey, and Mrityunjay Shriwas. They allege that the physical tests were manipulated and that the recruitment process lacked transparency.
Concerns Over Outsourcing Company and Financial Misconduct
The candidates have raised serious concerns regarding the outsourcing company, Times Technology Private Limited, which was responsible for data recording during the physical tests. Allegations include the manipulation of scores for monetary gain, blatant rule violations, and favoritism.
Evidence of Irregularities Presented to the Court
The petitioners submitted a pivotal letter dated December 19, 2024, from the Bilaspur SSP and Chairman of the Selection Committee to the Raipur Police Headquarters. This letter detailed significant irregularities during the physical tests, serving as a key piece of evidence for the petition. The petitioners argue that these irregularities are not isolated to one center but may be widespread across the state.
They highlighted that the recruitment process is centralized under a single advertisement for the entire state, with the same outsourced company conducting physical tests in all districts. This raises suspicions that similar issues may have occurred elsewhere.
Violation of Police Recruitment Rules Cited
The petition references Rule 7 of the Police Recruitment Process Rules 2007, which states that if any irregularities are confirmed at any stage, the entire recruitment process must be annulled, necessitating a new recruitment cycle. The petitioners contend that the issuance of the final list and appointment orders is therefore unlawful.
Allegations of Favoritism Towards Certain Candidates
The court was informed that a preliminary investigation by the government identified 129 candidates who received disproportionately high scores, resulting in the exclusion of many deserving candidates from the selection process.
Call for CBI Investigation
The petitioners have urged that an investigation by the CBI or an independent agency could reveal deeper layers of corruption in other districts. They argue that the integrity of the recruitment process has been severely compromised, jeopardizing the futures of qualified candidates.