This month, an RTI applicant received a letter from the State Agriculture Department seeking his bank details to deposit the compensation amount awarded to him last year with regard to an alleged scam in the 2016 Krushi Sevak recruitment examination.
Dr. Vikram Gaikwad, general secretary of the Maharashtra Youth Congress, said, “I filed an application under the Right to Information Act in October 2016, seeking documents related to the investigation into the alleged scam, which was published in newspapers.”
The Maharashtra State Council of Examination conducted the Krushi Sevak recruitment examination in 2016 through a private partner, which landed in trouble over allegations of malpractice. The allegations involved — one student passing from two locations; two brothers passing with identical marks; passing of students with similar surnames from neighbouring villages; students in the age group of 20 to 22 clearing the exam from Retired Defence Personnel category; and interestingly, not a single student scoring in the 150-178 bracket in the 200-mark exam.
He said the allegations were discussed in the State Assembly in 2016 and the then agriculture secretary had recommended an inquiry by the Criminal Investigation Department. “But the then State government did not follow the recommendation and chose to conduct the probe through officers who were accused of irregularities, who gave themselves a clean chit,” he said.
Dr. Gaikwad’s application seeking documents of investigation was denied by the office of the then agriculture commissioner. After being denied information, he filed an appeal, but his application was dismissed.
Dr. Gaikwad then filed another appeal in February 2017, which came up for hearing in May 2019.
The verdict said, “Instead of providing information, irregularities were covered up. It is a clear case of purposely denying information. The applicant has faced mental, financial and physical problems and therefore the authority concerned must pay a fine of ₹25,000.”
The delay in the entire process resulted in over 700 candidates, who cleared the questionable examination, joining government duty. State Information Commissioner Sambhaji Sarkunde said during the three-year period, disturbing facts about the scam emerged. The Agriculture Department was also charged with withholding information.
Dr. Gaikwad said, “So much time has passed and those who cleared the dubious exam have joined duty. The previous government chose not to act against irregularities despite being alerted. Now, the present government can take the case to the High Court.”