CB establishes forgery, FIR after obtaining legal opinion
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 23: Though it came under severe criticism from different quarters following tampering of its policy document yet forgery has been dubbed as inconsequential issue by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission. On the other side, the Crime Branch has established the counterfeiting on the basis of explicit findings of the Forensic Science Laboratory but awaiting legal opinion on registration of FIR.
EXCELSIOR in its edition dated June 3, 2017 had exclusively reported that policy document of Public Service Commission—the premier recruiting agency of Jammu and Kashmir, were forged in order to ensure continuous engagement of some choicest persons as experts for the examinations. Even the copy of the findings of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) clearly establishing tampering was published.
However, the entire matter has been brushed under the carpet by the Public Service Commission after holding in-house enquiry despite the fact that tampering of documents had raised serious questions about transparency and accountability in the recruiting agency’s functioning.
This can be gauged from the reply furnished by the Chief Minister, who is also Minister Incharge General Administration Department (GAD) in response to the question of BJP MLA from Ramnagar Ranbir Singh Pathania in the Legislative Assembly today.
When asked about punitive measures taken by the Public Service Commission on this grave issue, Chief Minister said, “a supplementary document containing three initials had been referred un-officially by one of the Members of the Commission to the Forensic Science Laboratory for determining the author of third initial, which on the basis of initials of the Members has not been identified”.
In terms of Rule 11 of J&K PSC Business and Procedure Rules, 1980, it is the draft minutes of the meeting prepared by the Secretary and approved by the Chairman which are circulated followed by their conformation in the next meeting of the Commission.
Stating that this procedure was duly followed, the GAD Minister said, “the Commission, after the in-house inquiry, has termed the issue of identifying the author of the third initial as inconsequential”. The PSC has claimed in the reply that draft minutes and the approved minutes were consistent and there was nothing contrary to each other.
“On the basis of news-reports a complaint was filed in the Crime Branch and the inquiry is presently underway”, the GAD Minister briefly said.
However, sources in the Crime Branch told EXCELSIOR that forgery of the policy document has been established on the basis of findings of Forensic Science Laboratory. “The verification into the complaint has been completed and it has come to fore that document was tampered with”, they added.
Responding to another question, sources said, “a legal opinion is being obtained on lodging of FIR as tampering of the document had not resulted into any financial loss to the Public Service Commission”.
About the query of BJP MLA regarding wrong marking of official answer keys of Political Science, Zoology and General Studies pertaining to Civil Services Examination (Preliminary)-2016, the Chief Minister said, “the Commission claims that it has no role in setting papers and answer keys and the question papers with answer keys are to be set by the subject matter experts”, adding “following complaints and representations from the candidates the process for re-verification of all the 23 answer keys through experts outside the State was started”.
“After examining the reports from the experts of reputed universities and institutes, third party reports were also sought to the extent of discrepancies amongst the reports of the universities”, the Chief Minister said, adding “in view of the magnitude of error in the original keys of the Political Science, Zoology and General Studies, the Commission also took the decision to blacklist the paper setters and moderators under intimation to Union Public Service Commission and all State Public Service Commissions”.
About implementation of recent judgment of Jammu and Kashmir State Information Commission regarding making available OMR sheets and answer keys immediately after completion of selection process, the Government said, “the Commission is providing copy of OMR sheet and answer key under the J&K RTI Act, 2009 in those cases where the selection process has been completed”.
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