JAMMU – Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the immediate termination of 103 employees from the Jammu and Kashmir Fire and Emergency Services Department on Monday. The dismissals follow findings of widespread recruitment fraud in appointments made five years ago.
Fraudulent Recruitment Uncovered
An inquiry committee first identified irregularities in the 2020 recruitment process for firemen and drivers. Subsequent investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) confirmed extensive manipulation.
The J&K Home Department, headed by the Lt Governor, issued the termination order. Principal Secretary Chandraker Bharti stated the government initiated the inquiry on December 12, 2022 . The committee examined allegations of paper leakage, result manipulation, and other issues within the department’s recruitment.
Investigation Details
The inquiry committee recommended a criminal investigation by the ACB. The ACB registered a First Information Report (FIR) on January 2, 2025 . A preliminary verification report followed on January 9, 2025 . Further findings were submitted in letters dated November 21 and November 28 .
The ACB report detailed the extent of the fraud. Investigators found large-scale tampering with OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets. Scanned images of answer sheets were fabricated. Merit lists were illegally manipulated to favor specific candidates. The report conclusively established that results were altered for 106 individuals. These candidates received marks significantly higher than their actual scores, confirming a criminal conspiracy.
Legal Basis for Terminations
Principal Secretary Bharti confirmed that the appointments of these 106 candidates were obtained through fraudulent and criminal means. The result manipulation rendered their appointments void ab initio , meaning they were invalid from the beginning.
The government cited legal precedents for the terminations. Protection available to civil servants under Article 311(2) of the Constitution does not apply to appointments vitiated by fraud. This position is supported by past judgments from the High Court of J&K and Ladakh and the Supreme Court of India in similar cases.
Impact and Next Steps
Of the 106 candidates initially identified, three appointments had already been cancelled by the Director of Fire and Emergency Services. These individuals failed to fulfill requisite formalities for government service. This left 103 candidates for the current mass dismissal.
The order emphasized that continuing these services would perpetuate an illegality. It would also undermine public trust in government institutions and compromise the integrity of recruitment processes. The appointments of the 103 named candidates are now officially declared illegal and void from the outset. Their services are terminated with immediate effect. These individuals will no longer be part of the department’s official roster.