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The Kerala Crime Branch has intensified its inquiry into allegations of recruitment fraud within the Kerala Public Service Commission by registering a fresh First Information Report concerning the selection process for Fisheries Extension Officers. The latest legal move brings top commission leadership, including its Chairman, members, and officials, directly under the investigative spotlight. Filed on the basis of a formal complaint by a resident of Nemom, the case invokes Sections 7 and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act alongside corresponding statutory provisions. The development follows an ongoing, parallel investigation into irregularities linked to the competitive examination for Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors, compounding institutional scrutiny over the administration of government hiring across the state.
Senior Leadership Facing Targeted Examination Fraud Charges
Unlike previous cases where suspects were grouped together broadly as commission members, the new FIR formally categorizes the accused into three distinct groups comprising the PSC Chairman, commission members, and administrative officials. The allegations center on the recruitment test for Fisheries Extension Officers assigned to the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies. Investigators state that key functionaries manipulated evaluation rankings to position favored individuals at the top of the eligibility register, intentionally denying fair appointments to deserving job seekers. The complainant further maintains that officials and members derived illicit benefits by twisting procedural outcomes, prompting the Crime Branch to scrutinize internal meeting minutes, evaluation records, and official administrative orders connected to the final selection list.
Irregularities Cited in Motor Vehicle Inspector Selection
A concurrent Crime Branch investigation focuses on an FIR initiated following a grievance submitted by a Perumbavoor resident regarding the Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspector examination. The complaint alleges that authorities altered the initial examination notification by adding two extra courses to educational eligibility requirements, an adjustment that enabled candidates who failed prescribed physical fitness benchmarks to secure entry. Serious breaches concerning the integrity of testing materials have also surfaced, with the complaint asserting that 45 questions were taken verbatim from two private websites. Investigators are evaluating whether these modified criteria and plagiarized exam components were deliberately arranged to facilitate undue appointments for otherwise ineligible applicants.
Investigators Assessing Direct Accountability at Commission Helm
Incumbent PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju has not been formally named in the two primary FIRs registered to date, but agency sources report that preparations are underway to arraign him as the broader inquiry expands. This shift comes after detailed interrogation sessions with the PSC Secretary and three commission members, whose formal statements reportedly implicated the Chairman in administrative lapses. Crime Branch detectives are now reviewing testimonial records, physical files, and procedural decisions to establish institutional accountability. The dual investigations continue to examine whether systematic interference and altered notifications compromised public appointments, with the conduct of senior commission figures remaining under active review.
