THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Crime Branch has taken over the probe pertaining to malpractice unearthed in PSC examination for recruitment of police constables to the Kerala Armed Battalion. The Crime Branch also registered four cases in connection with the report submitted by PSC internal vigilance wing. However, sources said that the investigating team is to be decided only in the coming days. PSC Vigilance committee had earlier recommended Crime Branch investigation into the rank list controversy.
On Monday, the wing unearthed major irregularities and malpractice in the constable exam in which former SFI leaders Sivaranjith secured first rank, Nizam, who is accused in the University College stabbing case, bagged the 27th rank and SFI University College unit committee member Pranav came second. All of them were removed from the rank list and they were barred for life from appearing in PSC examinations.
PSC said its internal vigilance committee report submitted on August 5 found that all the three resorted to malpractice. The commission will be approaching the state police for registering a criminal case in the matter. The interim report of the internal vigilance committee also mentions that modern technological aid might have been used for engaging in malpractice.
The committee also carried out a detailed investigation into the registered mobile phones of the three candidates, with the support of police cyber cell. The cyber cell found that malpractice was conducted using smartphones and watches.
There are reports that Sivaranjith, Nizam and Pranav used mobile phones while attending the exam. The probe team found that the three got answers through SMS. Though exam was meant for Kasaragod police camp, the trio wrote the exam from three different centres.
PSC chairman was aware of exam fraud, says Chennithala
T’Puram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said that first rank in the PSC exam for stabbing case accused Sivaranjith, 27th rank for co-accused Nizam and second rank for another SFI leader Pranav were a result of exam malpractice and it did not happen without the knowledge and connivance of the commission chairman and members. Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday, he said when the Opposition had cited that the credibility of PSC had taken a beating, the chief Minister said that the Opposition and media were unnecessarily making a hue and cry and destroying the PSC and its integrity. He also reiterated that a CBI inquiry was necessary as people would not trust probe by police. He said that the PSC’s internal vigilance report had reported that grave malpractice took place in the examination and he demanded a criminal case to be charged against culprits.