Chhattisgarh Teacher Recruitment Scam Reaches Special Court
A decades-old teacher recruitment case in Chhattisgarh has entered the courtroom with the filing of a major chargesheet. The Anti-Corruption Bureau has presented a document of about 1,000 pages before the Special Court in Kawardha, Kabirdham district, in connection with the recruitment of 320 Shikshakarmi Varg-3 posts in Pandariya Janpad Panchayat.
The chargesheet names 22 accused, including six former public servants and 16 selected candidates. Further hearings will now take place before the court.
The case stems from a recruitment process held on December 25, 1998, and the questions surrounding it are not limited to the final selection list. The investigation points to alleged manipulation of interview marks, improper award of teaching experience bonus marks, lapses in reservation procedures and benefits to relatives of selection committee members.
Complaint and Investigation
The matter first came to light through a complaint by former Janpad Panchayat president Arjun Tiwari. He alleged cutting and alteration in the interview register, the award of teaching experience marks to regular college students, violation of reservation rules and favours to the relatives of committee members.
The complaint led to Crime No. 48/2000, registered in 2000. The bureau has now concluded its probe and filed the chargesheet based on the oral and documentary evidence collected.
Merit List Allegations
The rules required separate merit lists for Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Class and General category candidates. Three times the number of vacancies in each category were to be invited for interviews in order of merit.
According to the investigation, bonus marks for teaching experience were added to academic marks while the interview list was prepared, altering the merit order. As a result, some eligible candidates did not get a chance at the interview, while some who did not qualify on merit were called.
Reservation and Divyang Candidates
Irregularities have also been alleged in the handling of women's reservation, the selection of divyang candidates and the adjustment of categories. In one instance, records indicate that 12 candidates were to be called for four Scheduled Caste divyang posts. Of 15 candidates, however, only 10 were called.
Committee Relatives and Marks
The probe has found that close relatives of committee chairman Shankarlal Chandravanshi and members Brijbihari Vaishnav and Ambikadutt Sharma were candidates. The allegation is that these members were present during the interviews of their relatives and gave them marks. It is further alleged that the relationships were not declared before the interviews.
If proven in court, these allegations would raise serious questions about the neutrality of the selection committee and conflicts of interest.
Those Charged
The bureau has charged former CEO M.L. Bharti, former CEO Ambika Prasad Shandilya, former Block Education Officer N.L. Vastrakar, former Deputy Director of Public Instruction N.R. Verma, Shankarlal Chandravanshi and Hariram Ghritlahare, along with 16 selected candidates.
Three other accused, former CEO M.L. Badhai and members Brijbihari Vaishnav and Ambikadutt Sharma, have passed away.
The bureau has said there is adequate evidence for prosecution under Section 13(1)(d) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Sections 120B, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the Indian Penal Code. The case will now move through the judicial process.