Police on Monday arrested Chempati Sandhya (35), who has allegedly collected big sums from unemployed persons, promising them government jobs by recommending their names to the members of AP Public Service Commission (APPSC). She was picked up in the morning from a village in Medak district, where she was hiding ever since the scam broke out. Sandhya is a native of Mogalturu in West Godavari district and lives in Miyapur in Hyderabad. With her arrest, a few others, including APPSC member GS Sita Ramaraju who allegedly worked in league with her, are reportedly feeling uneasy over what lay in store for them.
Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who was upset over the shady goings-on in the APPSC, told police to speed up the investigation into the allegation that Sandhya was acting as a go-between in getting polytechnic lecturer jobs for some aspirants by colluding with Sita Ramaraju. After the scandal broke out on June 5, APPSC secretary Charu Sinha lodged a complaint with the Central Crime Station (CCS) seeking investigation into the allegations made against Sandhya. APPSC chairman CR Biswal had said they were awaiting the outcome of the investigation by police. The Telugu Desam Party, after the modus operandi of Sandhya became known, took a serious view of the irregularities taking place in APPSC. On Monday afternoon, party chief N Chandrababu Naidu called on the Governor and submitted a memorandum seeking steps for revamping the APPSC.
TDP legislators staged a dharna in front of the chief minister’s camp office on Sunday after he refused to give them an audience.
With the chief minister being keen on prompt action in the case, the police arrested Sandhya. She was produced before a magistrate who remanded her in judicial custody. Police said they are preparing to file a petition in the court for her custody to know about the other persons involved in the scam.
Meanwhile, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy wanted the police to get down to the bottom of the scandal and find out who are all involved and to what extent. According to sources, the chief minister sent a message to Sita Ramaraju, whose term expires in Sept 20, 2018, to quit on his own, in his own interest.
It was made clear to him that if he is adamant, the police would have to do their job, implying that he would face the risk of arrest.
Raju was appointed member of the APPSC on Sept 21 last year for a six-year term.
Sources said the chief minister is keen that the entire APPSC should be revamped and given a new look to restore the faith of the unemployed, which has taken a beating after the scam broke out.
