After five days of the announcement by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to hand over of the police recruitment paper leak case to the CBI, the state police SIT continues the probe. It is worth mentioning that the police constable exam scam is being said to be the biggest question paper leak case in the history of Himachal Pradesh.
State Police Spokesperson issued a press release here today confirming that the SIT was still entrusted with the probe, which has brought forth new facts. Defending widespread protests and anger against the state government and police over the alleged police paper leak scam, the spokesperson said that it had done good work after immediately establishing the probe.
The Opposition parties Congress, CPI(M)& AAP have been holding government and state DGP responsible for allowing the scam to happen and have accused the latter of protecting the involved police officers by defending them.
The State police spokesperson said that CBI has not taken over the case so far, and the state government is allowing SIT to carry on with its probe. Opposition parties have blamed that the SIT could not be trusted as evidence against its
officers could be destroyed by them. However, SIT claimed that it has taken up the investigation in the right earnest and has prevented vital evidence from being destroyed. Also, the SIT has prevented accused persons from absconding, they claimed. SIT said that multiple police teams were formed to conduct a scientific and evidence-based investigation in all districts of HP and outside the State. They said that it has promptly constituted investigation teams for documentation of the scam, and the team have raided the hideout of the accused. They said that the SIT also constituted a Cyber Investigation, Interrogation and Financial Investigation team to expedite the probe making it a time-bound investigation. Police spokesperson claimed that the SIT, besides investigating the case diligently, is also getting documentation ready to hand over to CBI as and when they arrive to take over the matter in their hands.
Progress so far in the case
A total of 91 persons have been arrested so far, out of which 26 persons are in judicial custody and 21 are in police custody. They informed that 57 accused belong to Kangra, 19 from Solan, four from Hamirpur, three each Mandi, Bilaspur and Chamba and one each from Kullu and Una districts. Among the accused 63- candidate, three parents, 15- agents, middlemen and Kingpins; out of the ten middle men belonged from the outside state.
The SIT recovered 10,34,900- Indian and 6000-Nepali Rupees in cash from agents. In the scam, five Cars, 137- Mobile Phones, four Laptops, one DVR, ten- Hard Disks, one -Pen Drive, Three Memory Cards and one Jio-Fi were recovered.
SIT also recovered Original certificates of candidates (Matric and Plus Two) from agents and Institutes involved, one account passbook, two Cheque books, Pan cards, two Adhar Cards, two ATM Cards and One attendance and visitor register.
