KALPETTA: In a shocking sequel to the ‘job scam’ in the Revenue Department using forged PSC documents that rocked the state, another scam has surfaced in the district.
The Health Department has confirmed that 13 candidates bagged government jobs under the reservation category for the disabled just by feigning to be handicapped.
A medical examination was conducted on them on December 21 and December 28 by a specially constituted medical board at the District Hospital in Mananthavadi, against the backdrop of the job scam and widespread allegations of irregularities in the appointment of the handicapped.
According to the list sourced by Express from the office of the District Medical Officer under the RTI Act, those who got employed with fake medical certificates are T R Suseela, village assistant, Thomattuchal, Sulthan Bathery taluk; Shylaja M P, clerk-ypist (now at General Hospital, Kozhikode); Bharathi, process surveyor, district court, Kalpetta; Beena, typist, Agricultural Joint Director Office, Kalpetta; Ushakumari, typist, Tribal Development Office, Mananthavadi; Sherafudheen, village man, village office, Cherukattoor, Mananthavadi; Sheena K, soil conservation assistant, Assistant Director office, Karakkamala, Mananthavadi; Mahesh M, LD clerk, DFO Office, Kalpetta; Omana, Lower Division (LD) typist, KSEB, Padinjarethara; Anitha, typist, Agriculture Joint Director Office, Kalpetta; Vanaja V, joint auditor, (now working at the office of assistant registrar, Koothuparambu); T P Beevi, LD typist, joint registrar office (general), Kalpetta and Manoj T, L D clerk, Public Works Department.
“Among the 18 persons who were subjected to medical examination, 13 were found to be fake, the test results of two persons were yet to be received from the board, while three persons were found genuine,” Nitha Vijayan, District Medical Officer, said.
She told Express that one person skipped the examination by committing suicide and another one went to court. “The report on the examination has already been submitted to higher-ups, including the secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare,” she added.
The names of suspected employees were picked up from a list earlier submitted by the ‘Differently-abled Persons’ Welfare Federation’ (DPWF), an organisation fighting against the injustice committed against the handicapped. Interestingly, in the 20-member list, 17 persons sourced certificates for deafness which is the easiest disability to be feigned. The organisation had collected details of about 50 employees of the district who bagged government jobs using fake medical certificates.
“The government should subject all the employees appointed in the district under the category for fresh medical examination,” K V Mathayi, leader of DPWF, said. “The phenomenon may not be limited to the district alone, so such appointments in the entire state should be screened for fake candidates,” he added.
However, the employees named in the controversy are not ready to swallow the report of the special medical board as it is. “I have undergone various tests before getting appointed in the service,” said M Mahesh, LD clerk, DFO office, Kalpetta.
He told Express that he has all the certificates issued by various medical boards confirming his hearing disability. Some of the employees are planning to seek legal remedy, it is learnt.