Crime Branch tosses PSC ball to Vigilance

3 relatives of a dismissed Minister among those selected under RBA

Early Times Report

JAMMU, Feb 27: Crime Branch (CB) has tossed the ball of investigating the irregularities committed in recent selection of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons to State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). Meanwhile, a network of touts and agents, that also arranged selection of three relatives of a dismissed cabinet Minister, has built tremendous pressure on CB and SVO to prevent registration of an FIR and a detailed investigation into serious charges of corruption.

Informed sources revealed to Early Times that Crime Branch on Saturday forwarded its status report on alleged irregularities and practice of corruption in the selection of 55 veterinary surgeons to the Commissioner of Vigilance, P L Gupta with the argument that investigating corruption and misuse of official position was primarily the responsibility and jurisdiction of his organization.

“A group of the dropped candidates had approached us with a complaint and supportive documentary evidence with regard to alleged corruption and misuse of official position by the PSC committee. They also provided details of transactions which, according to them, established that unfair means including payment of bribes had taken place during the process. I received a detailed status report from SSP Crime, Kashmir, and forwarded the same to Vigilance Commissioner Mr P L Gupta as investigating such charges is the responsibility and jurisdiction of State Vigilance Organisation”, IGP Crime, Raja Aijaz Ali told Early Times.

Meanwhile, all the selected candidates and “agents”, identified in the RTGS bank transactions as well as taped conversations , have switched off their telephones. According to informed sources, immediately after the controversial selection list appeared in media and J&K High Court got it stayed over a petition of the high-merit dropped candidates, all those who have alleged paid bribes are demanding the money back from. As of now, their selection has fallen in doldrums and the money paid has also gone down the drain.

However, nobody has so far touched a Jammu-based advocate who reportedly got more than a dozen of the least-merit candidates selected. He is reported to have managed selection of a dismissed Cabinet Minister’s son and two more of his relatives in the RBA category. One of them was otherwise also disqualified for the competition as few years back he had set up an industrial unit, namely a stone crusher, under Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), then headed by the politician from Kishtwar. KVIB got a huge amount sanctioned in favour of the industrial unit from a bank and also paid 33% of the amount as subsidy to then unemployed veterinary science graduate.

Sources said that extremely high-flying people involved in the PSC selection scam have begun building huge pressure on the coalition government, particularly Crime Branch and State Vigilance Organisation, to ensure that no FIR was registered and no investigation was conducted. The argument being projected from these quarters is that PSC is “an autonomous body” that works “under its own business rules and constitution”. So, even if there is prima facie evidence of corruption, misuse of official position or any other unfair means, none of the government agencies had any role to investigate.

However, contention of a large number of legislators, including CPI (M) State Secretary, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and many others from National Conference and Congress itself, is that PSC is the creation of J&K Legislature and thus not only accountable before it but also subject to scrutiny by Police organizations. “It is a very serious allegation from the dropped candidates that there are hundreds of calls between the Jammu-based advocate and the expert engaged by the PSC. How can it be proved right or wrong in absence of a professional inquiry and examination of the call detail record?, an independent MLA asked.

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