Jaipur: In the 2021 Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment paper leak case, the Rajasthan High Court has rejected the bail pleas of five accused, including former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s personal security officer (PSO) Rajkumar Yadav, while granting bail to nine others, among them his son, Bharat Yadav.
A single bench of Justice Chandraprakash Shrimali pronounced the verdict on Tuesday after hearing bail petitions from 14 accused linked to the high-profile case.
Rajkumar Yadav was arrested by the Special Operations Group (SOG) on August 8 for allegedly purchasing the leaked exam paper for his son Bharat, who cleared the written test but failed in the physical exam.
The court rejected the bail pleas of paper leak gang members and key operatives, including Vijay Kumar Damor, identified as a gang member; Praveen Kumar Kharadi, accused of solving the leaked paper; Satyendra Yadav; trainee SI Sameeta Kumari; and Gehlot’s former PSO Rajkumar Yadav, citing their active roles in the conspiracy.
The court granted bail to Rahul Katara, a relative of former Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) member Babulal Katara, mediator Ravindra Singh, unsuccessful candidates Neha, Naitik, and Riddhi Pandya, dummy candidates Ashok Singh and Radhika Singh, and Bharat Yadav, son of the former PSO.
The SI paper leak case, one of Rajasthan’s most notorious exam scandals, came to light in 2021 when the SOG uncovered a large network involved in selling leaked papers to aspirants for huge sums.
The investigation revealed the involvement of intermediaries, government employees, and candidates, leading to multiple arrests and the suspension of several officials.
The case sparked massive outrage among unemployed youth and raised serious questions about the transparency of recruitment exams conducted by the RPSC.
The High Court’s latest decision marks another significant development in the ongoing investigation, reflecting the judiciary’s firm stance against organised cheating rackets.
The SOG continues its probe into the wider network behind the scam, which reportedly spans several districts of Rajasthan and involves both public servants and private individuals who benefited from the leak.
(IANS)
