Facing criticism for inducting a tainted former Border Security Forces (BSF) officer into the party, the ruling National Conference on Thursday declared that his (former officer’s) admission into the party has been withheld.
“We were not aware that the person was an accused in the recruitment scam. We have withheld his joining in the party,” National Conference Dr. Farooq Abdullah told media persons.
“I was unaware of his involvement in any case. We announced that until he is cleared of all charges, he will not be admitted into the party,” Dr. Abdullah, who himself inducted the tainted former Commandant of the BSF into the party on Monday, said.
On January 6, Dr. Karnail Singh, a former Commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF) joined the National Conference.
Within minutes after his joining, a massive controversy erupted as social media flooded with posts mentioning that Singh was the alleged mastermind behind the Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector (JKPSI) recruitment scam.
Interestingly, Singh’s induction took place in the presence of the party’s president, Dr. Farooq Abdullah.
Welcoming Dr. Singh, Dr. Abdullah described the National Conference as a “mass movement” committed to the development and progress of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Currently out on bail, Dr. Singh vowed to work toward the party’s vision of fostering a peaceful and progressive Jammu and Kashmir. Alongside him, Madan Lal, Kamlesh, and several other supporters also joined the NC during the event, which saw the presence of senior party leaders, including Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, Provincial President Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta, and Israr Khan.
Karnail Singh was arrested by CBI on June 19, 2022
Described as the mastermind in the infamous Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector recruitment scam, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) arrested the Commandant and Medical Officer of the Border Security Force (BSF), Dr. Karnail Singh, on October 19, 2022.
Dr. Singh was posted at the Paloura headquarters of the BSF on the outskirts of Jammu city. Dr Karnail Singh was called for questioning by the CBI in connection with the Sub-Inspector recruitment scam. As he failed to give satisfactory replies to questions asked by the officers of the CBI, the commandant of the BSF was formally arrested.
As per the initial investigation of the CBI, Dr Karnail Singh had leaked paper to 10-12 students at his residence at Patoli on the outskirts of Jammu city. including his son Shubam Kala, who secured 132 marks.
The BSF officer’s son was also among ten toppers of the Police Sub-Inspector written examinations, which were later cancelled after it was established that fraud was committed. Karnail had reportedly charged Rs 15 lakh per beneficiary for giving them the question with answers ahead of the exam.
He had allegedly arranged answers for the beneficiaries to ensure that they could solve the paper at the exams.
History of Infamous J&K Police Sub-Inspector recruitment scam
On June 4, 2022, JKSSB released the list of over 7,200 candidates who had cleared the written exams of the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) and qualified for the physical test.
With the list of shortlisted candidates released by the JKSSB, the J-K Police recruitment exam has come under the scanner after several aspirants had called it a “fraud” and “unfair”.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on June 9, 2022, assured a probe into allegations of irregularities in written tests conducted for the post of Police Sub-Inspectors.
On June 10, 2022 a three-member panel headed by the then Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Home Department, R K Goyal, was constituted.
The other members of the panel were the Principal Secretary General Administration Department and the Secretary Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs. 97,793 candidates appeared in the written test conducted by the JKSSB on March 27, 2022, across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. As per data, 1,13,861 candidates had applied for the post, of which 97,793 candidates appeared in the examination, which was over 85 percent.
Over 7200 candidates had “cleared” written tests and were declared qualified for the physical test in the coming days. JKSSB had issued notice of the recruitment of 1200 PSI posts in the Police Department.
Alleging large-scale bungling, fraud, and irregularities, left-out candidates pointed out multiple instances wherein siblings had managed selection, which cannot be a coincidence. It was alleged that question papers were leaked a day before the exams, and some touts managed to get question papers.
On July 8, 2022, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered cancellation of the exams after the three-member inquiry panel detected bungling in the written examinations. The LG also recommended a probe by the CBI in this scam.
On August 5, 2022, CBI conducted raids at 28 locations in Jammu, one at Srinagar and a house in Bangalore.
On September 13, 2022, CBI conducted simultaneous raids at 33 places across the country in connection with this infamous recruitment scam.
In November 2022, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against 24 individuals implicated in a major scam. The accused include high-ranking officials such as a Commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF), an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, as well as several constables from the same force. The list also features individuals from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), a government teacher, various intermediaries, and employees of a printing press.