The Kerala Crime Branch on 28 October 2026 arrested former Public Service Commission (PSC) official P. Satheesh in Kozhikode in connection with an alleged examination scam, even as PSC Chairman M.R. Baiju appeared before the investigation team for questioning in Thiruvananthapuram. The arrest marks one of the most significant escalations in a probe that is fast widening beyond a single recruitment irregularity.

The Arrest and Its Context

Satheesh, who headed the PSC's examination wing and oversaw the evaluation process for the recruitment of the Chief of the State Planning Board, was detained by the Crime Branch after being formally named as an accused in the case. He retired from service last year, following which the commission had already initiated departmental action and decided to withhold his retirement benefits.

Earlier, R. Hari, Additional Secretary in the PSC's Examination Wing, had been suspended after also being named as an accused — indicating that the alleged irregularities involved more than one senior functionary.

PSC Chairman and Members Questioned

Chairman M.R. Baiju appeared before the Crime Branch team on Wednesday as part of the ongoing probe. The questioning of PSC members had begun earlier in the week, with three members having their statements recorded. According to reports, the members told investigators that they had no direct role in conducting examinations or evaluating answer scripts, stating that their involvement was limited to interview panels. Examination-related matters, they reportedly said, were handled by the chairman, secretary, and examination controller.

Investigation Widens to Other Exams

The Crime Branch Special Investigation Team has registered two additional cases involving alleged recruitment irregularities — one concerning the post of Fisheries Extension Officer in the Fisheries Department, and another relating to Village Oil Inspector in the Khadi Board. The expansion of the probe signals that investigators believe the Planning Board recruitment scam may be symptomatic of broader systemic failures within Kerala's public recruitment machinery.

What This Means for Kerala's Recruitment System

The developments have raised serious questions about the transparency and credibility of the state's public recruitment process. The PSC, which conducts hundreds of examinations annually for government posts, is considered a cornerstone of merit-based hiring in Kerala. Critics argue that the alleged irregularities — if substantiated — could undermine public trust in a system that lakhs of job-seekers depend upon every year.

Notably, this is not the first time allegations of malpractice have surfaced in competitive public recruitment in India, but the scale of the current investigation — involving a serving chairman, suspended officials, and multiple examinations — lends it unusual gravity. Further arrests and disclosures are expected as the Crime Branch widens its net.