Kerala PSC scam deepens: SIT zeroes in on chairman, BJP seeks board’s removal
Thiruvananthapuram: The investigation into irregularities in a Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) examination has widened, with investigators focusing anew on Chairman M.R. Baiju. At the same time, the BJP has decided to take the matter to President Droupadi Murmu and seek the removal of the entire commission board.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) wants to question Baiju once more, along with Additional Secretary R. Hari, who has already been arrested. Investigators intend to confront the two officials with evidence relating to the alleged manipulation of the examination conducted for the post of Chief in the State Planning Board.
Sources said Baiju has been avoiding a fresh round of questioning by offering various excuses. The Crime Branch suspects that several key decisions, taken by the Chairman without wider consultation, may have enabled the irregularities to take place.
Hari has denied responsibility for the failure to evaluate 10 questions in the exam. According to investigators, he claimed that the task belonged to retired Deputy Secretary Satheesh, who has also been arrested, and said he was not aware that the answers had been left unchecked. The SIT, however, is not satisfied with his version.
The examination was attended by 228 candidates. Questions 10 to 18, together carrying 58 marks, were allegedly not assessed for any of them. Investigators found that for 51 candidates, only questions 1 to 9 and 18 to 28 were evaluated, while for the remaining 177 candidates, only questions 1 to 8 and 18 to 28 were checked.
The probe has also revealed that the evaluation was allegedly halted midway using a fraudulent software login. PSC members have told investigators that Baiju personally chose the panel that framed the questions as well as the officials assigned to assess the answer sheets.
PSC Secretary Saju George has reportedly told the Crime Branch that the Chairman frequently bypassed collective decision-making and shifted blame to officials when controversies arose. He said that while Baiju and Hari took some decisions together, the Chairman often acted independently.
On the political front, a BJP delegation comprising state president and MLA Rajeev Chandrasekhar and nominated Rajya Sabha members C. Sadanandan and P.T. Usha will meet President Murmu to press for action against the PSC board. The party’s move comes after outgoing Governor Rajendra Arlekar wrote to the President seeking the dismissal of the present commission in light of the allegations.
The scandal has severely damaged public trust in the PSC and raised uncertainty over the board’s future. Meanwhile, the pro-CPI(M) PSC Employees Union has launched protests, arguing that the commission should not be targeted through politically motivated action that could further erode its credibility.
(Inputs from IANS)