Chhattisgarh police recruitment drive irregularities: Suspect cop ends life, Cong seeks inquiry

Rajnandgaon, A constable suspected to be involved in irregularities in an ongoing police recruitment drive was found hanging from a tree on Saturday in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district, an official said. Constable Anil Ratnakar was found dead in Rampur village under Lalbag police station limits this morning, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg said. Ratnakar, a resident of Mahasamund district, was posted in Jalbandha police post in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district and had been deputed on duty recently for the the constable recruitment drive in Rajnandgaon. “A note written with pen was found on the left palm of Ratnakar, which stated employees are being targeted in alleged irregularities in recruitment and officers are being protected. Prima facie, it seems to be a case of suicide and further investigation is underway,” Garg said. The constable recruitment drive for Rajnandgaon Range, covering Rajanandgaon, KCG, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki and Kabirdham districts, began on the premises of 8th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force on November 16 and is being held with technical support of Hyderabad-based Timing Technology Company, the SP informed. Technical equipment used in the recruitment process, storage of data etc are the lookout of this company, he added. “Recently, an FIR was lodged when fraud was noticed in entries of marks obtained by candidates in physical efficiency tests. After this, some personnel, including Ratnakar, were removed from recruitment duty. Policemen and staffers of the company are being questioned,” he said. The FIR was lodged on the December 17 on the complaint of Deputy Superintendent of Police Tanupriya Thakur, who was in-charge of shot put event under Physical Efficiency Test during the recruitment drive, after she detected forgery in marks obtained by a candidate. Meanwhile, the deceased’s elder brother Sunil Ratnakar claimed the former had spoken to him over phone on Friday. During the conversation, the deceased had claimed he and other lower rung personnel were being implicated while senior officials were being protected. The opposition Congress attacked the BJP government in the state and sought a high level inquiry. “Rajnandgaon police recruitment scam seems to be a serious matter. What constable Anil Ratnakar wrote on his hand before committing suicide shows its seriousness. The meaning of ’employees are being framed, officers are being saved’ is clear @vishnudsai ji. Corruption has happened. Officers are also involved. Now a high level investigation is necessary,” former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said in a post on X. The senior Congress leader also posted a picture of Ratnakar’s note.