Chhattisgarh government cancels constable recruitment for Rajnandgaon, forms SIT amid charges of fraud

NEW DEL HI: The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday cancelled the process for recruitment of police constables in Rajnandgaon district amid allegations of irregularities, and set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter, an official said. State Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the Home portfolio, gave an order to this effect in the afternoon, he added.

"Irregularities came to light in the ongoing recruitment process in the 8th Battalion of Rajnandgaon and a case was registered in this connection at Lalbagh police station on December 17," the official said. Since November 16, candidates from Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Kabirdham (Kawardha) and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagadh Chowki districts have been participating in the recruitment process here, he said.

The police have so far arrested a total of seven persons -- four police constables, two employees of the event management company and one female candidate -- in connection with the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process, the official added. During the investigation of the case, police constable Anil Ratnakar allegedly committed suicide.

Allegations of irregularities

A note written with a pen was found on the left palm of Ratnakar, which stated employees are being targeted in alleged irregularities in recruitment and officers are being protected, he said. Rajnandgaon (Range) Inspector General of Police Deepak Jha has set up an SIT to investigate Ratnakar's suicide and has sought a report in 10 days, he added.

Meanwhile, Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg has handed over the investigation of the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process to the Rajnandgaon City Superintendent of Police Pushpendra Nayak, he said. Garg also said that the order to cancel the recruitment process for District Police Force Constable Cadre Selection Examination 2023-24 has not been received from the state government so far.

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Former chief minister and assembly speaker Raman Singh welcomed the state government's decision to cancel the recruitment process. "Today, on the occasion of Good Governance Day, under the leadership of Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri @vishnudsai, Home Minister Shri @vijaysharmacg took a commendable decision to cancel the entire recruitment by taking immediate cognizance of the Rajnandgaon Police Recruitment case," Singh said on X. The CM has directed formation of an SIT for an impartial investigation of the entire matter, he said.

"No kind of negligence or corruption will be tolerated in this government of good governance," he added. The official said, "During the recruitment process, the marks obtained by many candidates in the physical efficiency process were tampered. This irregularity was revealed in the investigation of the internal team of Rajnandgaon Police, after which an FIR was registered at the Lal Bagh police station in the city."

After this, the body of constable Anil Ratnakar, who was posted on marshal duty in the recruitment process, was found hanging in Rampur village on December 21. Ratnakar had written a note in his left hand stating that the officers on duty in the recruitment process have implicated the employees, he added. Opposition Congress has been attacking the Vishnu Sai-led BJP government in the state on the issue of irregularities in the recruitment process. State Congress president Deepak Baij and former CM Bhupesh Baghel earlier demanded cancellation of the recruitment process and action against the culprits.