The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its final chargesheet in the multi-crore municipalities’ job case in West Bengal, shedding light on the manipulation of optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets used in the recruitment exam. The chargesheet disclosed how ineligible candidates paid money to fill blank OMR sheets later to secure qualifying marks.
ABS Infozone Private Limited, owned by a middleman named Ayan Shil, was identified in the chargesheet as the key player in the OMR sheet manipulation. Municipal authorities accused in the case failed to provide documents proving the official handover of OMR sheets from Shil’s entities.
CBI’s investigation revealed discrepancies where ineligible candidates obtained more marks than the questions attempted and instances of OMR sheets lacking candidates’ signatures. The agency’s findings were based on seized documents from raids conducted across eight municipalities involved in the alleged irregularities.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initially uncovered details about the municipalities during raids at Shil’s residence in connection with a cash-for-school job case. Subsequently, CBI launched an inquiry following a Calcutta High Court directive, leading to Shil’s arrest.
Sleuths from CBI and ED discovered unauthorized assets worth over Rs 100 crore linked to Shil in their parallel investigations. ED highlighted the involvement of shell companies in money laundering activities related to the case, with recent raids conducted based on information about companies implicated in the recruitment irregularities.
