Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch probe into alleged irregularities in the examination for the post of Planning Board Chief has reached the top echelons of the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC), with its chairman and members set to face questioning in the coming days.

PSC member S I Saifeen has been served a notice directing him to appear before the investigating team on September 15. Notices to PSC chairman K R Baiju and other members will follow in the coming days.

The questioning follows the SIT finding that two officials had committed lapses while evaluating the examination answer sheets. The team, led by IG Ajeetha Begum, has recommended departmental action against former PSC deputy secretary P Satheesh and additional secretary R Hari. The two officials will also be named as accused in the case. The investigation report, submitted to the home department through the state police chief, will be forwarded to the PSC.

Investigators are also examining whether more officials were involved in the alleged irregularities. Questioning the PSC chairman and members is part of the probe into a suspected criminal conspiracy behind the alleged manipulation of the examination process.

The SIT had earlier confirmed that 10 questions carrying a total of 58 marks were left unevaluated in the answer sheets. The investigation also found that, had the alleged manipulation not occurred, the candidate who secured the first rank would not have even figured in the rank list.

Police questioning of PSC top brass a rare move
The police questioning of the PSC chairman and members over examination irregularities is considered a rare move. Besides the alleged irregularities in the Planning Board Chief examination, officials have also submitted complaints to the investigation team about similar lapses in a few other PSC examinations. The Crime Branch is preparing to register FIRs in two more cases and launch formal investigations, a development that could put the PSC top brass under further pressure.

The apparent differences and lack of coordination among the PSC chairman and members are also likely to come to the fore as the questioning and investigation progress.