THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — The Kerala Crime Branch has widened its ongoing investigation into alleged recruitment irregularities at the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC), registering two fresh First Information Reports (FIRs) and preparing to question the commission's top leadership.
According to reporting by The Hindu, the newly filed cases pertain directly to competitive selection tests organized for the posts of Village Oil Inspector and Fisheries Extension Officer. Investigators confirmed that while both FIRs detail suspected procedural tampering and malpractice, no individual suspects have been formally listed as accused in the documents thus far.
Interrogation of Constitutional Body Leadership
The expansion of the probe coincides with high-stakes interrogation plans by the state's Special Investigation Team (SIT). Detectives are scheduled to question Kerala PSC Chairperson M.R. Baiju at the Crime Branch headquarters on Wednesday.
Mr. Baiju had previously declined to appear in response to an earlier investigative notice, arguing that strict constitutional protections and internal procedural regulations govern the commission's independence. The upcoming appearance marks a critical phase in evaluating whether internal administrative failures, digital breaches, or external coordination facilitated the compromised exam processes.
| Case Milestone / Parameter | Village Oil Inspector Exam | Fisheries Extension Officer Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Investigative Body | Kerala Police Crime Branch (SIT) | Kerala Police Crime Branch (SIT) |
| Action Taken | Fresh FIR Registered | Fresh FIR Registered |
| Named Accused | None Listed to Date | None Listed to Date |
| Upcoming Step | Questioning of PSC Chairperson | Questioning of PSC Chairperson |
Operational Scope of the Crime Branch
Within the Indian policing framework, the Crime Branch operates as a specialized criminal investigation department separate from local station house jurisdiction. While municipal police manage daily law and order, Crime Branch units handle complex, white-collar, institutional, and inter-district fraud cases requiring forensic scrutiny and sustained digital auditing.
The scrutiny surrounding the Kerala PSC centers on ensuring meritocratic transparency for tens of thousands of state civil service aspirants. Investigators are reviewing examination logistics, question paper handling, and evaluation pipelines to ascertain whether organized syndicates compromised the integrity of these competitive recruitment drives.
