Himachal Pradesh: CBI to probe paper leak for constable recruitment test

SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to hand over to the CBI a case of the leakage of question papers for the recruitment test of constables in the state police force. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, in a hurriedly called press conference at his official residence Oakover here, said the state government has decided to hand over the probe into the case to the CBI.

The first reason for entrusting the task to the central investigative agency is to ensure a fair and impartial probe into the case, he said. The case was currently being investigated by a special investigating team of the state police which itself was conducting the written test for the recruitment of constables, he added.

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The second reason, the chief minister said, is the inter-state aspect of the crime as the SIT which had been probing the case till now has found criminals living in ten different states of the country involved in the paper leakage. The opposition Congress had also demanded the probe into the case by the CBI for a fair and impartial investigation.

While entrusting the task to the CBI, Thakur also appreciated the probe done till now by the state police’s SIT. He said the SIT has arrested as many as 73 accused in this case till now. They have also seized a sum of Rs 8.49 lakh cash, besides 15 mobile phones and a laptop, he added.

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A written test for recruiting 1,334 constables in the state police force was conducted on March 27 this year in which 75,000 candidates had appeared after clearing physical tests.

Earlier in May, amid reports of a question paper leak, Thakur had said the written test conducted to recruit police constables in March has been countermanded. This is for the second time within three years that the state government has nullified the examination to select constables. A fresh written examination will be held later this month, he added.

(with inputs from PTI)