Exam cancellation draws curtain on recruitment probe that alarmed Raj Police

Jaipur: Rajasthan Police finally heaved a sigh of relief after the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) cancelled the controversial 2021 sub-inspector recruitment Friday, bringing an end to a scandal that investigators feared could have deeply compromised the state’s law-and-order machinery. The relief came after nearly two years of uncertainty, mounting financial costs and repeated warnings that officials now believe should have prompted a tougher decision much earlier.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), in a report submitted to the state govt in Sept 2024, had warned that failure to scrap the recruitment would embolden organised criminal gangs and create an adverse law-and-order situation in the state. Investigators said the 2021 recruitment allegedly enabled the selection of relatives and associates of hardcore criminals, history-sheeters, opium traffickers and even individuals accused in double murder cases. The report warned that allowing such candidates to continue in service would effectively “empower” organised crime from within the police system itself and create an atmosphere of fear and instability in society.

A senior official associated with the probe said the state govt could have avoided much of the damage and financial burden if a hard decision was taken earlier, when the scale of irregularities first surfaced.

The recruitment was conducted for 859 posts and selected candidates were sent for training, with 824 eventually joining service. Sources said nearly Rs 51 crore had already been paid cumulatively as salaries to 746 selected candidates. Additional money was also spent on their training, while RPSC incurred heavy expenditure in conducting the examination process across multiple cities.

The written examination was held in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Udaipur, Kota, Bharatpur, Pali, Alwar, Rajsamand and Bhilwara, with 3,83,728 candidates appearing for the test. Additional expenditure was incurred on physical tests, interviews and result processing — all of which now stand effectively wasted after the recruitment’s cancellation.

The SIT also acknowledged that many trainee SIs who allegedly secured selection through unfair means may still remain unidentified. While ongoing investigations may expose more candidates, the report said identifying every beneficiary would be nearly impossible due to the passage of time. Detecting all candidates who allegedly used dummy examinees alone could take years.

The probe uncovered extensive irregularities in the examination process. Investigators found that 24 “toppers” allegedly cleared the examination through dummy candidates or leaked papers. Among those under scrutiny were candidates who secured ranks 1, 3, 5, 10, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 28, 34, 40, 52, 55, 69, 72, 79, 86, 87, 88, 92 and 99.

The investigation also exposed the alleged role of former RPSC member Ramuram Raika. His daughter, Shobha Raika, who secured rank 5, and son, Devesh Raika, who secured rank 40, were among the top scorers. Investigators alleged the siblings benefited from their father’s influence within the commission.
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