- Punjab and Haryana HC has asked CBI to respond to plea for probe in pharmacy exam scam
- Allegations include cheating and paper leak in recruitment exam for Punjab Health Department
- Police arrested accused for cheating but cleared examination officials of involvement
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought a response from the CBI on a plea seeking an independent probe into the alleged cheating and paper-leak racket in the Pharmacy Officer recruitment examination held on July 19 for 454 posts under the Punjab Health Department.
The case has raised questions over the state police investigation, particularly after police arrested accused persons for allegedly facilitating cheating during the examination, while officials involved in conducting the examination were given a clean chit.
The petitioners have questioned how the role of examination officials could be ruled out without a detailed investigation. They have also pointed to differences between the accused named in the police press note issued on July 19 and those mentioned in the FIR registered on July 20.
Police had maintained that while an organised cheating network was detected, there was no evidence of an actual question-paper leak or involvement of examination officials.
The petitioners, however, have alleged that the racket involved an inter-state network using electronic devices and operators outside examination centres. They have sought an independent CBI investigation along with cancellation or re-conduct of the examination.
The High Court's decision to seek the CBI's response has now brought the state investigation under greater scrutiny. The matter is significant for thousands of candidates whose recruitment prospects remain uncertain amid the allegations surrounding the examination.
The key question before the court is whether the investigation adequately examined all possible links in the alleged cheating network, including the role of those responsible for conducting and supervising the examination.