Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: Students had to stage dharna under the blazing sun for over 20 days to get the nod for a CBI inquiry into the alleged SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) Tier II exam paper leak. On the 22nd day of their protest, the Centre informed the Supreme Court (March 20) that CBI has started a preliminary enquiry on the allegations of paper leak.
With the announcement of a CBI inquiry, students have started nurturing hope that truth would prevail within a time bound period. But a statement of the Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, played spoilsport. Now, students are expressing doubts over the fair investigation into the case.
“There was no leakage of question papers of SSC examination. In view of some sporadic incidents of alleged cheating by some candidates at a few venues and subsequent agitation by a section of candidates, the commission, in order to reiterate and reaffirm the faith of the candidates in the examination process, recommended for an impartial enquiry by the CBI,” the minister said in the Lower House.
Though the minister also added that the matter was referred to CBI for a free and fair investigation, his earlier statement that “there was no leakage of question papers” has not gone well with the students as they now doubt that the investigative agency might be pressurized to save some of the officials and leaders close to the government.
Note: The protesting students had earlier alleged that the BJP government has turned a blind eye to their demands because one of their heavyweight Delhi leaders was involved in the entire SSC scam.
CBI is supposed to be an autonomous institution but it has never been so. It comes under the jurisdiction of Government of India and under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The Union Minister, who heads this Ministry, reports directly to the Prime Minister. When a minister is blatantly denying paper leak, how can an unbiased report from the CBI be expected, question students.
We have often witnessed opposition parties levelling the CBI as a "puppet" in the hands of the Centre. But we will wait for the report of the CBI and decide our further course of action
- said one SSC CGL aspirant.
The CBI started a preliminary enquiry on Tuesday on the allegations of leak after the SC took note of the submission of the Center and disposed off the PIL filed by Advocate M L Sharma seeking CBI inquiry on the allegations of paper leak.
The SC had earlier on March 12 sought response of the Centre on the PIL seeking investigation on the alleged paper leak of the CGL 2017 Tier II examination held on February 17 and 21.