Himachal Pradesh paper leak probe: Traffic inspectors' recruitment come under scanner

The recruitment of six traffic inspectors has come under scanner with the state vigilance and anti-corruption bureau on Wednesday booking four people for cheating, criminal conspiracy, and bribery.

Investigating several paper-leak incidents, the vigilance department has found sufficient incriminating evidence in the conduct of exam for the post of traffic inspector conducted by Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) in 2022.

As many as 35,053 applications were admitted for six posts of traffic inspector.

The results of the recruitment exam was declared in January 2022 and investigations pointed out that Rs 10,000 were transferred from a candidate to the accused, seven days after the date of written exam.

In light of the discovery, a case under sections 420, 201, 120B of IPC and sections 7, 7A, 8, 12 Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against four accused, including Uma Azad and her two sons.

A former senior superintendent at HPSSC, Uma Azad, was caught red handed by the vigilance sleuths while selling the question paper for Junior Office Assistant (IT) exam on December 23 last year.

The vigilance department is investigating 20 examinations held in the past three years.

The state government had suspended the functioning of the HPSSC over the paper leaks and postponed all future exams before dissolving the commission.

The forensic experts examining the electronic devices recovered by the Vigilance department in the case had earlier found question papers, financial transactions, voice recordings and chats during the scrutiny of electronic data retrieved from the devices of the accused which indicated that papers were leaked in the past also.