The Jharkhand Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested another person in connection with alleged irregularities in the Jharkhand Graduate Level Combined Competitive Examination (JSSC-CGL) 2023, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine.
The latest accused has been identified as Sameer Kumar, a resident of Bengabad in Giridih district. The CID confirmed his arrest as investigators continue to examine alleged irregularities surrounding the recruitment examination.
In a statement, the agency said: “In connection with the JSSC-CGL competitive examination, Sameer Kumar, a resident of Bengabad in Giridih district, has been arrested.”
The latest action comes days after the CID detained several candidates who had successfully cleared the examination.
Four Successful Candidates Arrested
The investigation intensified last week when the CID arrested four successful candidates linked to the JSSC-CGL examination conducted in 2024.
Two more people were arrested a day earlier, adding to the growing list of suspects being questioned as part of the investigation.
The CID had earlier arrested the alleged key accused Abhay Tiwari on July 22. At the time of his arrest, Tiwari was serving as a block supply officer in Poriyahat, Godda district.
Investigators later arrested his wife, Sushama Kumari, and brother, Akshay Tiwari, on August 18.
With Sameer Kumar’s arrest, the number of people taken into custody in the case has now reached nine since August 18.
JSSC-CGL Exam Cancellation Triggered Legal Battle
The case relates to the JSSC-CGL 2023 examination, which was conducted on September 21 and 22, 2024.
The examination faced strong opposition from job aspirants following allegations of irregularities. After protests, the Jharkhand government announced the cancellation of several recruitment examinations, including the JSSC-CGL-2023.
However, the decision later faced a legal challenge from candidates who had cleared the examination.
The Jharkhand High Court stayed the cancellation of some of the examinations, including the JSSC-CGL-2023, after successful candidates approached the court. The candidates argued that cancelling the examination could put their jobs at risk.
CID SIT Continues Investigation
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Jharkhand CID is investigating the alleged examination irregularities.
The agency’s latest arrest indicates that investigators are continuing to trace people allegedly connected with the case and examine the circumstances surrounding the examination and its results.
The investigation could lead to further questioning and arrests as the CID works to establish how the alleged irregularities occurred and who may have benefited from them.
For thousands of candidates affected by the controversy, the case remains closely watched as the legal dispute over the examination’s cancellation continues alongside the criminal investigation.
