JPSC exam scandal deepens as three commission members resign ahead of CID questioning

Ranchi: Three members of the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC)—Ajita Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda, and Jamal Ahmed—resigned from their posts on Sunday amid an escalating probe into alleged recruitment examination irregularities.

The members submitted their resignation letters directly to Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar. While no official reasons were formally cited in the submissions, the resignations follow intense public backlash and widespread protests by candidate groups demanding transparency and a thorough investigation into alleged rigging across recent competitive exams.

The abrupt resignations coincide with formal summonses issued by the Jharkhand Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is actively probing the scandal. The agency has scheduled individual interrogations for all three former members, beginning with Ajita Bhattacharya on Monday, followed by Anima Hansda on Tuesday, and Jamal Ahmed on Wednesday. Official sources indicate further questioning remains likely as the probe unfolds.

The CID has steadily broadened its investigation into the commission's administrative decisions and examination protocols. Prior to summoning the three members, investigators interrogated former JPSC Chairman and retired Chief Secretary L. Khiangte across four separate sessions.

To date, the CID has arrested four candidates allegedly involved in examination fraud, alongside three suspected middlemen. Investigators are preparing further enforcement actions, with additional arrests anticipated as evidence continues to emerge.

(Inputs from IANS)