The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched an investigation after having received a complaint alleging irregularities in the recruitment process of watchmen in Food Corporation of India (FCI) facilitated through a Nagpur based recruiting agency to favour certain candidates.
According to the agency sources, a complaint addressed to the CBI was received from B Prem Singh, General Manager, FCl, Bhubaneswar alleging therein irregularities in the recruitment process of Category-lV (watchmen) in FCI Odisha Region, facilitated through a Nagpur based recruiting agency.
On perusal of the said complaint, it is found that in pursuance of an open tender issued on 03.12.2016, FCI awarded the recruitment contract to the Nagpur based agency on 15.03.2017 for conducting the recruitment of watchmen in the Odisha Region. The written examination took place at 15 centres across Odisha on 12.11.2017 and the results for the same were announced on 03.01.2018, sources said.
“Subsequently, the Physical Endurance Test (PET) was conducted on 14.01.2018 at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack. However, the recruiting agency repeatedly altered the written examination results, leading to a second PET on 22.04.2018 and a third PET on 10.01.2019. These repeated changes, including the addition of new candidates for the PET, revealed deliberate irregularities by the recruiting agency to favour certain candidates,” said a CBI official.
“During inquiry by FCI authorities, the test documents of 61 candidates were sent to CFSL Kolkata for signature verification. CFSL confirmed that the signatures of five candidates Abhishek Kumar Mishra, Karan Raj, Sikandar Kumar, Dipankar Roy and Ranbir Kumar Paswan were forged. It was found that towards the candidate Abhishek Kumar Mishra, an FIR dated 18.03.2020 was registered before Mancheswar Police Station, Bhubaneswar,” the official said.
A case has been registered by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch against the five candidates, CEO of the Nagpur based agency, unknown officials of FCI and unknown others on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating by personation, cheating, forgery of documents, forgery for purpose of cheating, using as genuine a forged document, criminal misconduct by a public servant under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and The Prevention of Corruption Act.
