Srinagar, Dec 15 (JKNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday terminated the services of 103 firemen appointed in the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department after investigations revealed widespread irregularities and result manipulation in the 2020 recruitment process.
According to Government Order No. 608-Home of 2025 dated December 15, accessed by news agency JKNS, the action follows the findings of an Inquiry Committee constituted in 2022 to probe allegations of paper leaks, tampering of OMR sheets and manipulation of merit lists.
The inquiry had recommended a criminal probe, leading the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), J&K to register FIR No. 01/2025 and conduct a detailed investigation. The ACB probe uncovered large-scale tampering of answer sheets, fabrication of scanned images, digital manipulation and illegal alteration of merit lists in favour of 106 candidates. Investigators found that several candidates were awarded marks far higher than what they actually secured, and some beneficiaries admitted to paying illegal consideration.
Out of the 106 candidates identified as illegally appointed, services of three had already been cancelled earlier for failure to fulfil mandatory appointment formalities. The remaining 103 have now been dismissed with immediate effect, with the government declaring their appointments illegal and void from the outset.
The government order clarified that since the appointments were secured through fraudulent and criminal means, the terminated employees are not entitled to protection under Article 311 of the Constitution. It also referred to rulings of the Supreme Court and the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, which hold that appointments obtained by fraud do not require departmental inquiry or adherence to principles of natural justice.
The government observed that allowing such illegally appointed candidates to continue would undermine public confidence and the integrity of the recruitment system. Accordingly, the 103 individuals will cease to be part of the Fire & Emergency Services Department with immediate effect.
Earlier in November this year, the Jammu and Kashmir government imposed a permanent ban on M/s LMES IT LLP and its director, Maharaj Krishan Wali, over their alleged role in the 2020 Firemen and Firemen Drivers recruitment scam. The firm has been barred from taking part in any recruitment-related tenders in the Union Territory.
The decision was conveyed through Government Order No. 1540-JK(GAD) of 2025 issued by the General Administration Department (Vigilance), following a detailed, multi-tier inquiry into irregularities reported during the recruitment process carried out by the Fire and Emergency Services Department.
The recruitment drive, originally advertised in 2013, had drawn around 60,000 applicants for 870 posts of firemen and firemen drivers. After the physical standard test, nearly 14,000 candidates were shortlisted for the written examination. However, the process could not move forward in 2014 due to devastating floods and was eventually scrapped in 2017 on the directions of the then Chief Minister.
Subsequently, affected candidates moved the High Court, which directed the government to restart the recruitment process. In compliance, fresh physical tests were conducted in 2018 for the shortlisted candidates, out of which around 7,000 qualified and appeared for the written exam. This attempt too was cancelled following court intervention amid allegations of widespread irregularities and mass cheating, later confirmed by an official inquiry panel.
The examination was conducted once again on September 20, 2020, after which the final selection list was issued. Despite strong protests by unsuccessful aspirants alleging paper leaks and manipulation, the recruitment process was concluded the following month. The demand for scrapping the selection gained further momentum after the Jammu and Kashmir administration cancelled the Police Sub-Inspector recruitment in July and handed the matter over to the CBI. (JKNS)
