Follow us on Google News
A Ranchi court hearing bail petitions of several accused in the Jharkhand competitive examination paper leak cases has sought updated case diaries from the Criminal Investigation Department. The proceedings in the court of Additional Judicial Commissioner Yogesh Kumar concern alleged irregularities and question paper manipulation in both the 14th Jharkhand Public Service Commission civil services preliminary test and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission Combined Graduate Level examination. Investigators have uncovered evidence of organized question-drilling sessions for candidates alongside substantial unexplained financial transactions channeled directly into the personal bank accounts of key suspects.
Court Reviews Bail Pleas of Four JPSC Accused
The court took up bail applications filed on behalf of Krishna Kumar, Mukesh Sahu, Dilip Kumar Rana, and Omprakash Rana, all of whom were arrested last month by the investigating agency and remanded in judicial custody. While considering the submissions, the court directed investigators to produce the relevant case records. Further hearing on the bail pleas of three of the accused has been posted for November 10, whereas the petition concerning Krishna Kumar is scheduled to be taken up separately on November 21.
According to investigative findings, these four individuals maintained active operational links with Buddheshwar Bhagat, an alleged intermediate agent operating within the broader network run by syndicate mastermind Abhay Tiwari. Although the agency has already finalized and submitted a formal chargesheet covering aspects of the preliminary examination fraud, judicial scrutiny continues over individual roles, recruitment conduits, and the specific mechanisms deployed to infiltrate the state civil services selection process.
Over Thirty Candidates Coached Ahead of Staff Selection Test
Parallel hearings were conducted into the bail applications of Suresh Rai and Sudhakar Kumar in connection with the staff recruitment examination. The court instructed the state investigation team to submit the complete case records, setting subsequent hearing dates for November 10 and November 25. Central to this inquiry are allegations that Suresh Rai hosted more than thirty candidates at his official residential quarter in the Dugdha locality of Bokaro, where candidates were systematically made to memorize leaked question and answer sets prior to the examination.
Financial tracking by the investigation unit revealed critical corroborative evidence showing an inflow of Rs 14 lakh into Suresh Rai’s personal bank account on January 22, 2026. On the exact same date, an additional sum of Rs 5 lakh was credited into the account belonging to his son, Umesh Rai, bringing the single-day consolidated deposits to Rs 19 lakh. Law enforcement authorities took Suresh Rai into custody on October 10, following earlier arrests of his son Umesh Rai and son-in-law Deepak Kumar, as part of an expanding probe into cash collections and applicant logistics.
Order Reserved on Bail Plea of Co-Accused
The court also concluded arguments on a bail petition moved by another key accused, Mohammad Usman, who was arrested on July 22 for his suspected involvement with the syndicate. After listening to arguments from both sides, the court reserved its final order, which is scheduled for pronouncement on November 10. Investigators contend that Usman operated within the core circle managing illicit transactions linked to the principal operative.
During the hearing, defense counsel Sonal Tiwari submitted that establishing a charge of criminal conspiracy requires clear legal grounds rather than mere association or familiarity between co-accused individuals. The defense argued that establishing an offense necessitates tangible proof of active participation in deception, procurement, or fabrication of records under a common unlawful design. With the court now reviewing the case diaries across multiple petitions, the probe remains focused on tracing the money trail and identifying all beneficiaries tied to the leak syndicate.
