A suspected recruitment racket at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, has been uncovered after biometric and photographic checks exposed an impersonation bid for the post of wireman. According to authorities, one individual appeared for the CRE-3 recruitment examination in Gujarat, while another showed up in Rishikesh to claim the appointment. Kotwali police have arrested one of the accused, while a manhunt is underway to apprehend the second suspect. Both individuals face allegations of using forged credentials to secure government employment and draw illicit salary payments.
The case was formally registered following a complaint filed by Vikram Singh, an assistant administrative officer at AIIMS Rishikesh. The complaint names Vikas Meena, a resident of Dausa in Rajasthan, and Ashok Meena, hailing from Jaipur, as the primary suspects. According to the police, the duo conspired to manipulate the recruitment pipeline through falsified documents, leading investigators to initiate a thorough probe into the administrative lapses and financial payouts connected to the selection.
Identity Discrepancies Surface During Verification
The irregularities trace back to the CRE-3 recruitment test conducted for technical posts, including wireman vacancies, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Records show that Ashok Meena sat for the written test at the designated Gujarat centre. However, when the selection process concluded and the time came to formally join the institute, Vikas Meena reported to the AIIMS Rishikesh campus to take up the post.
The blatant substitution unravelled during the routine document and identity verification protocol conducted by the institute. Scrutinising officers noticed marked differences between the facial photograph affixed to Ashok Meena’s examination paperwork and the physical features of the candidate presenting himself for appointment. The noticeable mismatch prompted officials to flag the file for deeper inspection and subject the claimant to sustained questioning, during which Ashok Meena reportedly admitted to appearing for the examination on behalf of the applicant.
Biometric Audits Unravel Systematic Fraud
Biometric screening served as the pivotal safeguard in detecting the fraudulent switch before the onboarding process became irrevocable. Institutional checks confirmed that the physiological data collected at the test venue failed to match the individual completing the joining formalities. The incident has highlighted the operational necessity of multi-tier biometric checks, which ensure that candidates advancing from multi-city competitive examinations are identical to the individuals entering institutional service.
AIIMS regularly administers large-scale entrance assessments across the country to recruit Group B and Group C personnel, spanning nursing, administrative, technical, and maintenance cadres. Officials noted that document scrutiny and biometric matching are mandatory precisely to curb organised impersonation syndicates. Had the photographic anomalies slipped past the desk review, the appointment would have stood validated on fraudulent grounds.
Search Expands as Institutional Probe Deepens
Following the formal intimation by AIIMS authorities, Kotwali police booked both suspects under relevant statutory provisions. While one suspect was promptly taken into custody, investigative teams are currently carrying out coordinated raids across suspected hideouts to locate and arrest the absconding partner. Investigators are examining communication trails to establish how the exchange was orchestrated and whether intermediaries facilitated the paperwork.
The investigation is actively auditing the employment tenure, examining physical signatures, and tracking the financial accounts where government salaries were remitted. AIIMS Rishikesh Public Relations Officer Dr. Shriloy Mohanty maintained that the fraud was identified due to the institute’s transparent and layered screening mechanism. He stated that the suspects were handed over to law enforcement as soon as the manipulation was confirmed, adding that full cooperation is being extended to the ongoing police investigation.
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