Indore: Indore bench of MP High Court has stayed arrest of officers of Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC)--chairman and secretary-- and directed police to present the case-dairy pertaining to objectionable content against Bhil tribe in a passage featured in state service exam-2019.
MPPSC exam controller Ravindra Panchbhai had filed a petition in the HC on Friday after an FIR was registered against the officers without being named. Making State of MP, DSP and TI Ajjak Thana as respondents, the petitioner sought quashing of the FIR as all information has been provided to the IO for investigation in respect of case.
The paper setting and its moderation are done by professors called from colleges and university and MPPSC officers have no roles in this regard. The petitioner's counsel Prashant Singh told the court that right from MPPSC chairman, members, secretary and exam controller, every officer are apprehending their arrest following the FIR and they have a protection under section 15 of the MPPSC Rules of Procedure-2019. Respondents counsel RS Chhabra informed that the court that no officer and employee of MPPSC who is not connected with the alleged offence will be arrested and that the investigating officer would conduct investigation in accordance with the law.
After hearing both the parties, Justice Vivek Rusia directed Chhabra to call case dairy in the court. The judge then directed to place the matter before the court again on January 21. The court stated that till then on coercive action should be taken against the chairman, members, secretary and exam controller of MPPSC.
On behalf of JAYS, advocate Anshuman Shrivastava submitted an application for intervention in the matter which was taken on record. SSE-2019 carried a passage on which five questions were based. The passage contained information on Bhil community wherein they were described as alcoholic and criminal minded. Ajjak Thana had registered an FIR whereas chief minister Kamal Nath had ordered an inquiry into the matter.
