F&ES Probe Reveals Massive Recruitment Scandal, 103 Terminated

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has terminated 103 firemen from the Fire and Emergency Services Department following a probe that revealed the 2020 recruitment process was fraudulent.
Sources said that an inquiry committee, established in December 2022, found that the appointments were illegal due to tampering with examination records and manipulation of results. The committee submitted its report in February 2024, leading to a criminal case registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in January 2025. The ACB’s investigation uncovered evidence of tampering with OMR answer sheets, fabrication of examination records, and manipulation of merit lists, along with instances of criminal conspiracy and admissions from some beneficiaries. A total of 106 candidates were identified as having benefited from the fraudulent recruitment process, although three candidates had their appointments canceled earlier for not completing mandatory service formalities. The government emphasized that constitutional protections for civil servants do not apply in cases of illegal appointments obtained through fraud. Citing rulings from the Supreme Court and the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the order stated that such appointments are void and do not necessitate a departmental inquiry prior to termination. The government concluded that retaining these illegally appointed personnel would compromise public trust and the integrity of recruitment processes.