SATISH HANDA
Claims to have transparent and corruption-free government in Haryana state by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter faced severe set back over the recent incident of selling government jobs in the state. On the order of Shatrujit Kapoor Director General State Vigilance Bureau constituted a team to investigate the matter and succeeded in busting a racket involved in running a network for recruitments of government jobs in the state getting heavy amount of bribe. According to Sudhanshu Garg SP, vigilance police has already arrested three persons including prime accuse Anil Nagar an officer of HCS rank working as Deputy Secretary in Haryana Lok Sewa Aayog since past about four years, who was produced before duty magistrate and remanded to police custody for four days along with two others Ashwani Sharma originally hailing from Jhajjer district and Naveen Kumar both involved in this fraud. Police has started search for another alleged accuse involved in conspiracy Jasbir Singh owner of a software agency Safe Det E-Solutions Private Limited yet absconding and his mobile phone found switched off.
During police remand amount worth Rs 3.60 crore has already been recovered from alleged accused. Police also conducted raids at the office as well as residence of Anil Nagar and seized his laptop, printer, mobile phone and other documents. During search, raiding team also collected a list of 24 persons suspected applied for the job of dental surgeon from whom bribe was collected. Information revealed, 60% amount of bribe was being collected from applicants in advance and remaining 40% amount at the time of issuing appointment letter after tampering examination papers of applicants with the help of software agency. The investigation team also had a meeting with Alok Verma Chairman of the Haryana Lok Sewa Aayog.
During raid at the residence of Anil Nagar, vigilance team recovered currency notes for amount worth Rs 12.50 lakh and a land deed for purchase of a plot of value Rs 50 lakh, besides also recovered currency notes of value Rs 2.10 crore handed over to Ashwani Sharma by Anil Nagar during raid at the residence of Ashwani Sharma. Investigation revealed, Anil Nagar used to collect amount between Rs 25-30 lakh each from applicants for the post of Dental Surgeon examination held on September 26, 2021 through his companions. The racket had taken Rs 10 lakh each from applicants for the posts of staff nurse, BLDA, ANM from nearly 150 applicants and Rs One crore each from the applicants for HCS examination held sometime ago. During police remand arrested accused disclosed that the amount collected from applicants was being distributed among all those involved in embezzlements by Anil Nagar who was taken to Gurugram and Rohtak during four days police remand where he had kept most of the documents.
Information also reveals, earlier during April 2018 a similar fraud of value worth lakhs of rupees was exposed during recruitments by Haryana Staff Selection Commission and CM Flying Squad had arrested 12 persons involved in the scam and the case is still under trial in Panchkula court at present. Meanwhile, National General Secretary All India Congress Committee Randeep Surjewal demanded thorough investigation in this scam by SIT led by High Court Chief Justice and said all recruitments by Haryana Lok Sewa Aayog in past about four years when Anil Nagar was working as Deputy Secretary should be cancelled. He accused ruling state government responsible for number of corruption cases in recruitments of government jobs as well as leakage of examination papers about 32 times but ruling government took no action against accused. Raising a question, Surjewala said, why and how responsibility of such an important and secret matter was handed over to a corrupt Deputy Secretary in the presence of Secretary in the Commission.
Talking to media persons Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter assured stern action against all those involved in this case. He said, ruling government believes in offering jobs on the basis of merits not like previous government when jobs were sold or offered on recommendation as well as caste. He said, vigilance department investigation the case thoroughly and no one will be spared at any cost.
