Will Recommend CBI Probe Into Alleged Paper Leak: Uttarakhand Chief Minister

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday met the youths protesting at the Parade Ground here against the alleged paper leak in a graduate level examination last week and assured them that the state will recommend a CBI probe.

He said an SIT under the supervision of a retired High Court judge has already started its investigation into the allegations related to the exam conducted by the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission.

But since the students are still demanding a CBI investigation, the government will recommend it, Dhami said.

"There will be no obstruction in this matter. The government doesn't want to leave any doubts or suspicions in the minds of the youth," Dhami said.

The government's sole resolve is to ensure a completely transparent examination process, the chief minister said.

Steps taken over the past four years, including the introduction of the country's toughest anti-cheating (copying) law in the state and the arrest of around a hundred members of the cheating mafia, have been in keeping with that resolve, he said.

The chief minister said that the government has conducted more than 25,000 government recruitments in a transparent manner in the last four years, and there have been no complaints.

The paper leak complaint has been raised in only one case.

Therefore, the government is fully committed to removing all doubts from the minds of the youth, he said.

After listening to the youth's perspective, the chief minister said he was unhappy with the fact that the youths were protesting in the heat during this festive season.

He said he could have had this conversation with them in his office also, but seeing their suffering, he decided to come to the protest site and meet them.

Dhami had said on Sunday that he was ready for any investigation into the alleged paper leak if required, including by the CBI, but the SIT should be allowed to finish its probe first.

He also assured the protesting youths that if any cases were filed against them during the protest, they would be withdrawn.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)