Following a CBI report, the Himachal Pradesh government has pledged to take strict action in the 2022 police recruitment paper leak case, ensuring accountability for those involved.
Key Points
- Himachal Pradesh government assures action in the 2022 police recruitment paper leak case.
- The CBI recommended penalties against four police officers for serious lapses in the recruitment process.
- The 2022 constable recruitment examinations were cancelled due to the paper leak.
- The CBI investigation revealed security lapses and procedural violations in handling the question paper.
- Chief Minister Sukhu asserts his government's commitment to taking action against corruption at all levels.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday assured strict action in the 2022 police recruitment paper leak case, two years after the CBI recommended major penalties against four police officers including IPS officers.
CBI Recommendations and Findings
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sent a communication to the government in April 2024 recommending major departmental penalties against four police officers, citing "serious professional lapses, negligence and procedural violations" in the conduct of the recruitment examination.
The examinations held for 1,334 posts of constables in 2022 were cancelled following detection of paper leak.
Details of the Paper Leak
The CBI probe reportedly revealed that the question paper was allegedly stolen on March 19, 2022, during printing at a private press in Ghaziabad and maintained that the concerned authorities bypassed set procedures, including the absence of a formal tender or work order for selecting the printing facility.
Pointing out several security lapses, the CBI noted that no Himachal Pradesh Police personnel were deployed to safeguard the papers during a crucial period and that sensitive documents were handled without proper sealing or documentation.
Further, the final draft was shared via WhatsApp for approval, raising serious concerns over confidentiality breaches, the report added.
Government Response and Commitment
The issue resurfaced after the communication was widely circulated online and the opposition BJP alleged that the state government failed to take action against police officials mentioned in the report.
Responding to the controversy while talking to media on Monday, Chief Minister Sukhu asserted that his government is committed to taking action against corruption at all levels.
"Soon after assuming power, we constituted a special investigation team (SIT) and now we know where corruption lies," he said, adding that officials fighting among themselves should not distract from the real issue.
The chief minister asserted that he takes serious notice of such matters, assuring that no person would be spared and action will be taken against everyone involved.
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