Babulal Marandi, Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, on 19 August questioned the impartiality of the CID investigation into the cancellation of several JPSC and JSSC examinations, reiterating his demand that the probe be handed over to the CBI. Marandi argued that scrapping the 'tainted' exams alone would not deliver justice without an independent central inquiry.

Key Allegations Raised by Marandi

In a social media post, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader flagged alleged irregularities in the 11th-13th Combined Civil Services Examination conducted by the JPSC, including purported manipulation of the interview board and the role of officials now involved in the investigation.

Marandi claimed that individuals named Ramveer Singh and Abhay Tiwari, associated with the agency TDPL, admitted in their statements to having 'fixed' the interview board for the 11th-13th JPSC examination. According to Marandi, Singh allegedly confessed that the then JPSC Chairman and members would summon specific candidates to their interview boards by decoding candidate identification codes.

Conflict of Interest Charge Against CID

Marandi raised pointed questions about whether a fair investigation could be conducted by the CID when officials associated with that very agency were allegedly part of the interview boards under scrutiny. He specifically named CID ADG Manoj Kaushik among the IPS officers who, he claimed, had served on those boards.

He demanded that statements of all officials who participated in the interview boards be recorded and the matter thoroughly investigated to ensure accountability. Notably, the government notification cancelling the exams itself references irregularities identified through the CID probe — an irony Marandi did not let pass.

What the Government Has Done So Far

The Jharkhand government has cancelled several JPSC and JSSC examinations following the findings of the CID inquiry. The JPSC Chairman has already been arrested in connection with the case, according to Marandi's statement. However, the opposition argues these steps are insufficient without an independent central agency taking over.

Demand Directed at Chief Minister Soren

Marandi addressed his demand directly at Chief Minister Hemant Soren, calling on him to transfer the investigation to the CBI. He argued that the state's own investigative machinery cannot be trusted to probe a scandal in which its officers may themselves be implicated.

This is not the first time the BJP has pushed for a CBI inquiry into examination irregularities in Jharkhand — the opposition has consistently raised the issue of recruitment fraud as a political pressure point against the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government. With the JPSC Chairman under arrest and multiple exams scrapped, pressure on the Soren administration is set to intensify.