Haryana CM rejects Opposition demand for CBI probe into HSSC paper leak case

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda sparred during a debate on the calling attention motion on paper leak cases in the state.

• Also read: HSSC paper leaked from printing press of exam agency: SP, Kaithal

Earlier, 10 Opposition legislators, including Balraj Kundu, Kiran Choudhry, Shamsher Singh Gogi, Varun Chaudhary and BB Batra, had moved the calling attention on the HSSC paper leak case. Choudhry claimed papers for HTET, clerks, excise inspectors, HCS (judicial), conductors, patwaris, and naib tehsildar were also leaked. Kundu claimed that 28 papers were leaked.

While replying to the motion, Education Minister Kanwar Pal Gujjar said only four examination papers were leaked in the past — that of male constable held on August 7 this year, gram sachiv held on January 9 and 10, assistant lineman held on March 15, 2020, and upper divisional clerk held on March 1, 2020.

When Gujjar listed recruitments cancelled by courts during the Congress regime, including those of PTIs and art and craft teachers, Hooda read out strictures passed by courts on recruitments during the BJP rule, including the 2018 cash-for-job-scam of the HSSC.

“Crores of rupees are required to get a job in the present regime,” the former CM said, demanding a CBI probe.

Khattar countered, “Just six cheating cases were registered between 1988, when the the HSSC was formed, and 2014. The BJP government has registered 43 cases…You (Opposition) did not register cases.”

He clarified that of the 43 cases, 15 were related to examinations of the Central government. Of the 28 cases related to state exams, only four were related to paper leaks while the rest related to unfair means.

On the HSSC constable paper leak case, Khattar said a big syndicate was behind it and the source of the leak had been traced to Jammu. “Persons involved in paper leaks for long have been identified… the CBI inquiry is not required,” he said.

Hooda said, “Your Home Minister has recommended a CBI probe.” Then CM replied, “I have talked to the Home Minister about it… We trust our police force.”

At this, Hooda said, “Since it is an inter-state dispute, the CBI is the appropriate agency to probe the matter.” But Khattar countered, “We are satisfied with the inquiry.” He added that after the formation of his government in 2014 and when the new HSSC set-up took over, it was found that the previous data has been removed.

At this, Congress MLAs staged a walk out.