Madhya Pradesh Police have registered cases against 22 individuals involved in fraudulent activities during the 2023 constable recruitment process. This action follows the strict directive of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, who has emphasized the state's zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in recruitment.
The Madhya Pradesh Staff Selection Board conducted an online written examination for Constable (GD) and Radio posts in 2023, attracting over 6.52 lakh candidates. After the exam, 55,220 candidates qualified for the Physical Efficiency Test (PET), which took place from October 16 to November 20, 2024. Eventually, 6,423 candidates (5,090 men and 1,333 women) were selected for final recruitment. However, during the PET in Morena, five candidates were caught using imposters, triggering further scrutiny.
The police initiated legal proceedings and ordered a re-verification of the selected candidates, including Aadhaar-based biometric authentication. Investigations revealed that some candidates had manipulated their Aadhaar data, altering their fingerprints to bypass the verification systems. Forensic teams identified discrepancies in handwriting samples, fingerprints, and digital records, leading to the registration of 21 FIRs across various districts: Morena (7 cases), Shivpuri (6 cases), Sheopur (2 cases), and individual cases in Indore, Datia, Gwalior, Alirajpur, Rajgarh, and Shahdol.
The probe also uncovered the involvement of certain Aadhaar card vendors who allegedly tampered with biometric records. Authorities suspect a larger network of fraudsters and are investigating the role of these vendors in facilitating the fraudulent activities.
The investigation is being overseen by the Director General of Police (DGP), with coordination from district police units to ensure prompt and thorough action. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav has ordered strict legal measures against those responsible for the fraud, including the cancellation of selection for the fraudulent candidates.
He also stressed the need for more stringent verification processes in future recruitment drives to prevent such incidents.