The CBI has booked the wife of a Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Commandant and two constables for allegedly running a recruitment racket in the force. The role of other SSB officers is being examined.
The accused persons have been identified as constables Mukesh Kumar Chaodhari and Puranmal Gurjar, besides Anjali Sharma, wife of Commandant S.K. Sharma.
Based on a written complaint against an SSB Inspector-General, a Commandant and others, including the accused persons, the CBI in February 2021 instituted a preliminary enquiry against them for their involvement in corruption practices in the recruitment of drivers/tradesmen through an examination in 2016. The candidates in question or their family members were also complicit.
Money collection
Based on the findings, the agency alleged that the two constables and Ms. Sharma, apart from unknown public and private persons, were involved in collecting money from the candidates on the promises of getting them recruited as drivers and tradesmen.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), in 2017, Chaodhari was sent on “dak” duty to the SSB force headquarters in Delhi on the telephonic direction of then Inspector-General Tezpur to Kaikho Athikho, then adjutant of 38th battalion in Tawang. He remained at the headquarters from February 10 to March 23, 2017, and was under the control of the competent authority there.
The accused came in contact with Gurjar and Ms. Sharma and the three collected money from the candidates for getting them recruited through the examination. During that period, Chaodhari had come in contact with the aspiring candidates and their relatives in Rajasthan, from whom he demanded ₹3-4 lakh a head.
As alleged, in 2016-17, Gurjar had been passing on telephonic instructions to Chaodhari for collecting money from the candidates, with a specific reference to one “madam”, i.e. Ms. Sharma. He worked as a helper at her Gurugram residence, the FIR said.
