NEW DELHI, June 21: Candidates applying for jobs as ‘mazdoor’, ‘dai’, ‘coolie’ and ‘chowkidar’ at the Belgaum Cantonment Board allegedly paid bribes to the tune of Rs 15-25 lakh, the CBI has said in its FIR related to the alleged recruitment scam.
In its FIR, which was made public on Friday, the agency has booked five officials of the Belgaum Cantonment Board and 14 candidates who allegedly paid the bribes.
The CBI begun its probe last year with a preliminary enquiry on the basis of complaint from a board member alleging corruption and illegalities in the recruitment process which was undertaken in 2022-23.
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The findings of the enquiry suggested that during 2022-23, 31 candidates for the post of mechanic, assistant sanitary inspector, coolie, mali, peon, dai, etc were recruited, officials said.
Officer Superintendent Mahalingeshwar Y Talukdar, Computer Programmer Basavaraj S Gudodagi, Data Entry Operator Prakash C Goundadkar, Head Master Parasharam S Birje and Assistant Teacher Uday S Patil — who have been booked — worked in various capacities in examination process as per orders issues by then CEO, they said.
The CBI has alleged that the then CEO of the Cantonment Board Anand K (now deceased) was the controlling and appointing authority for the recruitment process who was involved in setting the question paper and answer keys for the examination, they said.
In conspiracy with the five officials, Anand K demanded and accepted illegal gratification in the range of Rs 15-25 lakh from the aspirants to influence the selection process, the CBI has alleged.
“Their illegal intention and overt actions consequent thereof caused selection of candidates favourable to them in the recruitment process by dishonest and illegal means,” the CBI has alleged in the FIR.
The CBI enquiry findings showed that the question paper was set only in English but most of the candidates could not read and understand it.
“It is further alleged that eligible candidates were either rejected or not qualified as they could not pay the illegal gratification to the above named public servants. It is further alleged that while candidates from all over the country appeared for the examination, all the selected candidates were from either Belgaum or nearby places only.
“It was further alleged that many of the selected candidates are related or known to the officials of the Cantonment Board,” the FIR alleged. (PTI)
