Shimla: The state vigilance department on Tuesday arrested a former secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Staff Service Commission (HPSSC) in connection with the Junior Office Assistant (Information technology) exam paper leak case. Jatinder Kumar was called in for questioning at the vigilance police station in Hamirpur in connection with the case and later, arrested. He will be produced in court on Wednesday, vigilance officials said on Tuesday night.


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DIG, Vigilance Bureau, G Shiva Kumar had on April 1 maintained that permission will be sought from the government under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to register an FIR against highly placed officials under scanner in the case. The former secretary of the commission had been called several times for questioning and further inquiry was going on against him, he had stated.


So far, leaks have been detected in about 30 examinations conducted by the commission in the past. The vigilance department is probing irregularities in 22 examinations and so far, five FIRs have been registered. A total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the paper leak cases.


The JOA (IT) paper leak scam was unearthed on December 23 last year when the vigilance sleuths arrested senior assistant of HP staff selection commission (HPSSC) Uma Azad red-handed with solved question paper and cash amounting to Rs 2.5 lakhs, besides laptop and other documents.


The state government had suspended the functioning of the HPSSC over the recruitment exam paper leak and postponed all the examinations to be held.