Haryana babu accused of rigging his civil exam results appointed to staff selection panel

CHANDIGARH: BJP govt in Haryana Wednesday posted Vatsal Vashisht, a chargesheeted officer in 2001-batch HCS recruitment scam, as officer on special duty (OSD) in Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC).

HSSC is one of the recruitment agencies of the state to select Group C and D employees. The order, handing over charge to Vashisth, who is at present serving as secretary of Haryana Right to Service Commission, was issued by Haryana chief secretary. As per the order, he has been posted as OSD in HSSC in addition to his present duties.

In July 2023, state vigilance bureau (now anti-corruption bureau), had submitted a challan against Vashisht along with other HCS officers before a Hisar court in connection with the alleged scam. As per the chargesheet, Vashisht, who was selected to HCS (executive branch), was given 507 marks of 750 in the written exam & 92 out of 100 in interview ( 599 out of 850).

The probe by ACB had revealed that in the English and English essay exam, 29 extra marks had been awarded to Vashisht by examiner JC Kappan by cutting/overwriting. Similarly, in History of India, nine extra marks had been awarded to him by examiner Maheswary Prasad.

Thus, his marks were increased by 38, without which he would not have been eligible to appear for interview and would not have been selected to any post, as the cut-off for the interview was 489, according to the probe.

Several other HCS officers along with Vashisht were charge-sheeted in this case in July last year. With assembly polls in Haryana due in Oct, HSSC has fast tracked selection on various posts. As OSD, Vashisht will be working in commission in planning & execution of these recruitments.