TNPSC examination scam nothing new, exists since Jayalalithaa’s rule: DMK

Referring to the Central Crime Branch-probed Group-I recruitment scam of 2016 in which three candidates were found to have had same handwriting, DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi, in a statement, said that about 62 candidates who cleared the exams then were from the same coaching centre and that the registration numbers of 22 candidates were erased and new numbers written in the manuscripts.

Regarding the claims of answer sheets of three candidates being torn and fresh sheets attached, Bharathi alleged that the CCB team, which probed the case, was transferred en masse after it submitted in the court following forensic examination that handwriting of the candidates were the same.

“The case was put to cold storage. Who was responsible for it? Who had passed the orders then?” the DMK organising secretary questioned. Further, he doubted that attempts were being made to cover up the case with the recent arrest of 16 persons and the life ban imposed on 99 candidates in the Group-IV examination scam being probed now.

Urging the CB-CID to conduct a comprehensive investigation to ascertain the reason for candidates from select coaching institutes scoring high in Group-I and II exams in the recent years, the DMK Rajya Sabha MP said the entire State government machinery would be paralysed if such people were allowed to enter government service through irregularities and hence added a thorough probe was necessary.

“A closer look at the probe reveals that the scope of the probe was limited to Group-IV to let the ruling party members go scot-free. It can never be permitted,” Bharathi remarked, reiterating his party chief M K Stalin’s statement that State Personnel Minister D Jayakumar should be dropped from the Cabinet and a CBI probe be ordered for the truth to surface.