Massive Bribery Scandal Uncovered at Belagavi Cantonment Board
A staggering bribery scandal has emerged at the Belagavi Cantonment Board (BCB), where candidates for menial positions such as ‘mazdoor’, ‘dai’, ‘coolie’, and ‘chowkidar’ allegedly paid bribes ranging from Rs 15-25 lakh. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) disclosed this information in a recent FIR, highlighting a significant recruitment scam.
CBI’s Investigation and Charges
The FIR, which became public on Friday, implicates five BCB officials and 14 candidates in the bribery scheme. The CBI initiated a preliminary inquiry last year, prompted by a complaint from a board member about corruption and irregularities in the 2022-23 recruitment process.
Recruitment Irregularities
According to the CBI’s findings, during the 2022-23 period, 31 candidates were hired for various roles, including mechanic, assistant sanitary inspector, coolie, mali, peon, and dai. The implicated officials, Officer Superintendent Mahalingeshwar Y Talukdar, Computer Programmer Basavaraj S Gudodagi, Data Entry Operator Prakash C Goundadkar, Head Master Parasharam S Birje, and Assistant Teacher Uday S Patil, played crucial roles in the examination process under the directives of the then CEO.
Key Accusations and Role of Deceased CEO
The CBI has accused the late CEO of the Cantonment Board, Anand K, of being the key figure controlling and overseeing the recruitment process. Anand K, allegedly in collusion with the five officials, demanded and accepted bribes between Rs 15-25 lakh from job aspirants to manipulate the selection process.
Manipulation and Unfair Practices
The FIR alleges that these corrupt practices led to the unfair selection of candidates favored by the officials. The examination was conducted in English, a language many candidates could not comprehend, resulting in the disqualification of eligible candidates who could not afford the bribes.
Favoritism and Regional Bias
Further allegations indicate that candidates from all over the country appeared for the exams, yet all those selected were either from Belgaum or nearby areas. Many of the selected candidates were reportedly related to or known by the Cantonment Board officials.
Source: PTI
It’s discouraging that army is into corruption for such small posts , it’s a shameful thing to army and the country
It is disappointing to note that there’s Curuption in Army to this event for such menial jobs