Fire and Emergency Services recruitment ‘scam’: ACB issues statement about the probe delay

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) J&K today said that it is committed to unearth irregularities and deliver justice in the 2020 recruitment process of Fireman and Fireman Drivers in the Jammu and Kashmir Fire and Emergency Services Department, amid growing concerns from aggrieved aspirants.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday to media, the Bureau revealed that it had registered FIR No. 01/2025 on January 1, 2025, following a detailed preliminary verification of complaints alleging fraudulent selections in the recruitment process.

The ACB said its verification exercise had already uncovered “certain irregularities” and confirmed that some candidates had been wrongly selected, warranting further investigation.

The Bureau explained that the ongoing investigation is highly complex and time-consuming, given the scale of the recruitment drive — which involved the selection of nearly 700 candidates.

Three major aspects of the probe are causing delays, the ACB said:

1. Identification of Wrongly Selected Candidates: Investigators are examining the bank transaction histories of selected candidates suspected to have paid bribes, to trace illicit money trails.

2. Detection of Middlemen and Touts: The Bureau is trying to identify agents or intermediaries through whom bribes may have been routed. Their financial records are also being scrutinized to trace the money further and identify the higher-level beneficiaries.

3. Scrutiny of Massive Recruitment Records: Given the volume of documentation, ACB teams are meticulously analyzing selection lists, score sheets, and internal communications to pinpoint anomalies and understand the modus operandi of the alleged fraud.

Acknowledging the anxiety of aggrieved aspirants and the public, the ACB urged for patience and said that it is “vigorously working” on the case to ensure accountability and transparency.

“The Anti-Corruption Bureau is committed to deliver justice by identifying all irregularities in the said recruitment process and complete the investigation at the earliest,” the statement read.

Sources familiar with the investigation told Ziraat Times that the Bureau is also exploring the role of senior officials who may have facilitated or overlooked the irregularities, indicating the probe could reach higher echelons within the department.

The Fire and Emergency Services recruitment drive had come under scrutiny after multiple complaints surfaced alleging favouritism, manipulation of merit and financial transactions in exchange for job offers.