Jharkhand CID Arrests Two More in Recruitment Exam Irregularities Probe

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Jharkhand has arrested two more people in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations in the state, an official said on Tuesday.

Dilip Kumar Paswan, 41, a resident of Jamui district in Bihar, was held over alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination-2023. According to the official, Paswan is accused of giving unfair advantages to several candidates who appeared for the examination. His arrest takes the number of people apprehended by the CID in the JSSC-CGL case to 13.

In a separate development, the agency arrested a coaching centre operator in Ranchi in connection with alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC). The accused, Sanjit Kumar, is a resident of Ratu Road under the Sukhdeo Nagar police station area of the state capital.

"Kumar has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. The arrested accused runs Ranchi-based Shivangan Coaching and was operating as an agent," the official said.

The CID has so far arrested more than 20 people in connection with the case, including former JPSC chairman L Khiangte, who was taken into custody on August 10.

The arrests follow a period of unrest over the recruitment process. Job aspirants began staging protests from July 25, demanding the cancellation of examinations conducted by the JPSC and the JSSC as well as a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities. On August 18, the state government announced the cancellation of several recruitment examinations, including the JSSC-CGL-2023, after which the aspirants withdrew their agitation.

The Jharkhand High Court, however, stayed the government's decision following a petition filed by successful candidates.