CID Files Supplementary Charges Against 10 in Jharkhand PSC Exam Scandal

Ranchi, November 2 (Daily Kiran) : The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has filed its first supplementary chargesheet in the ongoing investigation into irregularities in the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) civil service exam. This action took place on November 2 in a special court in Ranchi. The chargesheet names ten individuals, including Budheshwar Bhagat and Ramesh Kumar, who were arrested on various dates in August this year.

According to the CID, an additional chargesheet may be filed in December against twelve other suspects still under investigation. The agency’s findings have revealed a complex network of intermediaries and significant financial transactions tied to the scandal, where candidates were reportedly charged hefty sums to facilitate their success in the exam.

The investigation has uncovered solid digital and physical evidence indicating that candidates were extorted not only in cash but also through illegal means such as RTGS, UPI, and hawala transactions, amounting to millions of rupees. The chargesheet details financial transactions based on a thorough analysis of the accused’s bank accounts, passbooks, KYC documents, and call detail records from their mobile phones.

Among the ten individuals named in the chargesheet are key figures like Budheshwar Bhagat, Ramesh Kumar, and Umesh Kumar, all arrested on August 5. Others, including Umakant Uraw, Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra Kumar, Rakshak Singh, and Roshan Kerketta, were apprehended on August 6. Arun Kumar and Braj Kumar Ram were arrested later, on August 13 and 17, respectively. All these suspects have remained in judicial custody since their arrests.

Investigators have found that gang members allegedly coerced candidates into surrendering their original educational certificates and even signed blank checks as collateral. Notably, a laptop belonging to the main accused, Budheshwar Bhagat, contained a secret list of 24 candidates, 11 of whom reportedly passed the preliminary exam.

The CID is now delving into the relationships between successful candidates and these brokers. Additionally, a raid on another accused, Abhay Tiwari, led to the seizure of ₹5.5 lakh in cash, a laptop, and a mobile phone. There are growing concerns that a significant portion of the illicit earnings may have been funneled into bank accounts of shell companies.

The agency is actively investigating whether these fake companies were utilized to launder corrupt funds. The scope of the CID’s inquiry extends beyond just the intermediaries and candidates; it aims to uncover financial connections involving masterminds behind the exam, suspicious officials from the commission, and the examination conducting agency. To date, a total of 34 individuals have been arrested in connection with this case.

Previously, a chargesheet was filed against 12 suspects, including former JPSC chairman L. Khingyate, and now the second supplementary chargesheet has been submitted against the new ten accused. The remaining twelve suspects will face charges once the investigation is complete, expected by December.