Even before the dust over infamous Vyapam scam could settle irregularities in Forest Guard Recruitment have been exposed. The findings of the four member committee constituted by Additional Principal Secretary – Forest Dipak Khandekar on behest of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan found that the then Head of Forest Force PV Gangopadhyay by forming committee of three IFS officers pressurised it prepare such report due to that those who got lesser marks got the Government service while 397 candidates of the State who got higher marks were deprived of the Government service.
Former Chief Conservator of Forest pressurized to change report made by a three member team of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers was found by inquiry committee formed to investigate officials behind the Forest Guard recruitment 2010 selections which deprived 397 candidates from selection.
Four member committee headed by Chief Conservator of Forest (Production) RK Gupta comprised of Additional Chief Conservator of Forest Sunil Agrawal, Chief Conservator of Forest HU Khan and Additional Secretary Forest Sanjay Mohreer.
Around three months ago the committee was formed after Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan instructed Additional Chief Secretary Forest Department Deepak Khandekar to provide posting of deprived candidates and who won in Supreme Court but at the same time officials responsible behind the irregularities should be found.
The committee after completing inquiry in two months found that the then Head of Forest Force PB Gangopadhyay pressurized three member committee of IFS officials Atul Jain, Atul Shrivastava and AK Singh to change report within three days and candidates from Bhopal and Betul with lower marks were inducted in service which deprived 397 candidates across the state from getting selected in the job.
Gupta committee found that the three member committee should have informed that based on merit list at State level the selection should be done and filling from waiting list from district would be incorrect.
Notably in the year 2010 Forest Guard recruitment examinations were held and district wise merit list was prepared and cut-off was decided at district level based on vacancies due to cut-off several posts remained vacant and when information of vacant posts reached Bhopal it was decided to fill vacant posts from different districts.
Candidates from Bhopal and Betul were sent to Shahdol and Umaria but the selection caught attention after it was found that candidates which were sent from Bhopal and Betul have scored lesser than the candidates of Shahdol and Umaria who were not able to attain cut-off and later these candidates which were 397 in number went to court complaining the irregularity.