Marandi alleges ₹40 lakh bribe for officer posts, seeks CBI probe
Pioneer News Service
Ranchi
Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, launched a scathing attack on the state government, alleging massive systemic corruption in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) recruitment exams. Marandi claimed that candidacies for prestigious civil service positions are openly being traded for money. According to him, candidates are charged—₹5 Lakhs to clear the Preliminary Test (PT), ₹25 Lakhs for the Mains Exam, ₹10 Lakhs for the Interview Phase.
He asserted that a candidate must pay a total of ₹40 Lakhs to be appointed as an officer, warning that officers recruited through such corrupt means will naturally propagate corruption throughout their service.
Marandi accused the exam agency, TDPL, of actively manipulating OMR sheets to facilitate illegal selections, directly questioning how the Commission’s top leadership could escape accountability.
Rejecting the current probe by the CID as a mere “eyewash” designed to destroy evidence and shield high-ranking individuals, Marandi demanded an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for both JPSC and JSSC examinations.
He argued that the resignation of former JPSC Chairman L. Khiangte is insufficient. Criminal charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act must be formally registered against him.
The FIR filed regarding irregularities in the 14th JPSC exam was intentionally weakened, keeping the original complainant’s identity anonymous and hiding the FIR copy from the public.
Marandi targeted senior administration figures, criticizing CID ADG Manoj Kaushik for holding three key portfolios simultaneously. He also accused JSSC Secretary Sudhir Gupta of corruption.
Marandi concluded that the state government is betraying the youth of Jharkhand. By failing to ensure justice and transparency in competitive exams, the administration is jeopardizing the future of hardworking aspirants and making a corruption-free Jharkhand virtually impossible.
