The Rajasthan High Court has dismissed a batch of petitions seeking the quashing of an FIR against three individuals allegedly involved in a large-scale conspiracy involving forged educational documents and impersonation during government recruitment examinations.
Justice Sameer Jain, delivering the ruling, underscored the “grave public importance” of the matter and observed that the findings of the state’s Special Operations Group (SOG) had established a prima facie case. He held that prematurely quashing the FIR would undermine the rights of genuine aspirants and obstruct the course of justice.
The case emerged when a female applicant for a lecturer’s position claimed she was pursuing her post-graduation from Vardhaman Mahaveer Open University. During routine verification, discrepancies in her educational records surfaced, prompting the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) to seek clarification from the university.
Subsequent investigations revealed a broader network involving forged degrees—particularly from Mewar University—and impersonation at exam centres. The SOG took over the probe and registered an FIR, which eventually led to the involvement of the petitioners.
The accused contended that they were neither named in the original FIR nor linked by direct evidence. Their counsel argued that the charges against them rested on conjecture and speculation. However, the prosecution submitted that both digital and physical evidence—such as video footage allegedly showing one of the accused impersonating a candidate—established their role in the scheme.
The court also took note of the fact that the petitioners had remained absconding for a significant duration, which it said pointed to a consciousness of guilt.
After reviewing the material evidence, the court concluded that the petitioners had been implicated through a lawful and reasoned investigative process. Dismissing their pleas, the bench found no grounds to interfere with the FIR or the chargesheet and directed the accused to cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
The ruling marks a significant development in the crackdown on recruitment exam malpractices in Rajasthan, as authorities continue to uncover layers of fraudulent activity aimed at sabotaging the integrity of public selection processes.
