KPSC doesn't have scam-related files

In response to an RTI application filed by V Raghu on April 27, 2011, seeking a list of absentees for the mains exams, the KPSC replied on May 17, 2011, that the files were ‘not available’.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) is inquiring into the cases of five candidates in 1998 who were allegedly absent for the examinations, but were selected nevertheless.

Roopashree B V (Registration no: 130635 and appointed assistant controller), Shailaja M K (no: 412512 and posted as Commercial Tax Officer), B G Umesh ( no: 133532 and appointed assistant director of land records), Shivanand Navi (No: 219458 and appointed assistant controller) and Shantavva Kadi ( no: 203225 and appointed assistant controller) were allegedly selected even though they never appeared for the examinations.

Khaleel Ahmed and others filed a petition in the High Court challenging the selections. The petitioners alleged that the candidates were either selected without writing the examinations, or they wrote exams outside the exam halls. The KPSC submitted to the Court that it didn’t have records pertaining to the candidates’ exams. In its submission to the court and reply to the RTI applicant, the Commission maintained that the files were not found. 

The CID report submitted to the High Court on May 24, however, stated that during the investigation it found the columns with respect to date, subject, paper, candidate’s signature and invigilator’s signature in the attendance sheets of the candidates left blank. 

The investigating agency also told the court that the KPSC failed to produce the nominal roll-cum-attendance sheets stating that they were not traceable (letter no. E(1)41/11-12/PSC/dated 23.04.2011).

The officials of the Commission contended that the attendance sheets, that were part of the application booklets, were not used at the time of written examination. Instead, the KPSC used computer-generated nominal roll-cum-attendance sheets.

“In support of their argument, they showed attendance sheets of select candidates and also that of Sri Khaleel Ahmed and a few other petitioners which were found to be blank with respect to date, subject, paper, candidate’s signature and invigilator’s signature,” the CID report stated.

The investigating agency, however, didn’t come to any conclusions on the allegations of the petitioners, but recommended action against the officials responsible for ‘missing vital documents pertaining to the appointment of these candidates’.