HC grants 2 more months to police to probe recruitment scam

The Madras High Court today granted two more months to the Central Crime Branch to probe and file a report in the alleged Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) Group-I recruitment scam.

A division bench, comprising Justices Huluvadi G Ramesh and M Dhandapani, passed the order on a petition filed by a transgender Swapna who approached the court alleging irregularities in the recruitment.

Originally a single judge was hearing the case.

Later on the basis of a letter given by the TNPSC to the Chief Justice stating that the contents of the petition were in the nature of Public Interest Litigation, it was transferred to a division bench.

The scam was exposed by a private television channel which was in possession of blank answer sheets of the TNPSC sent by an anonymous person.

Following a court-ordered scrutiny, the Forensic department confirmed that the sheets held by the channel were original sheets that were printed by TNPSC.

Taking serious view of the issue, the court in an interim order restrained the government from appointing the candidates selected.

When the matter came up today, the central crime branch said it needed six months more time to get some more reports with regard to investigation carried out by different wings of Forensic department.

The forensic department has three divisions and only one has sent its report, the CCB submitted.

"We are waiting for the reports from other two divisions without which we cannot proceed with the case.

We need at least six months time to file further report," the CCB said.

Recording the submission, the bench granted two months time and adjourned the plea.