Ranchi: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has detained another suspect as its investigation into the alleged merit scam and irregularities in the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) recruitment examination continues to widen.
Officials on Wednesday took Dharmendra into custody for questioning. According to sources, he had earlier worked at the residential office of former Chief Secretary L. Kiyangte and had been associated with the office for a considerable period. Kiyangte has already been questioned several times by the CID as part of the ongoing investigation.
The latest development follows Tuesday’s arrest of three alleged middlemen — Umesh Kumar, Budheshwar Bhagat and Ramesh Kumar — who are suspected of playing a key role in manipulating the recruitment process.
Investigators believe the trio worked in collusion with the examination-conducting agency, TDPL, to facilitate an alleged “setting” racket aimed at influencing the recruitment examination.
Sources said the latest detention has taken the total number of people held in connection with the case to 15. However, the CID has not officially confirmed the figure.
The investigation is progressing rapidly, with the agency focusing on uncovering the wider network allegedly involved in examination malpractice and identifying all those who may have played a role in compromising the integrity of the JPSC recruitment process.