The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday conducted a marathon questioning session lasting nearly nine hours with Bobby Panwar, the president of the Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh, at its Dehradun office. The interrogation is part of the agency's probe into the alleged leak of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level recruitment examination paper.
Protests and the Path to a CBI Probe
The controversial exam was conducted on September 25, but was soon engulfed in allegations of a paper leak. The issue triggered sustained protests across Uttarakhand, with job aspirants demanding a thorough investigation. Panwar, leading his unemployed youth outfit, was at the forefront of these demonstrations in Dehradun, specifically calling for the case to be handed over to the CBI.
Following the public pressure, the state government transferred the investigation to the central agency. Panwar complied with a CBI summons and arrived at their office around 11:30 am on Monday. A CBI officer, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Panwar cooperated with the investigators during the questioning and might be called again if required.
Panwar's Allegations and Demands for Wider Probe
After the grueling session, Bobby Panwar took to social media to release a video statement. He claimed to have fully cooperated with the CBI and provided them with all available evidence, including digital material related to the case. "I followed the CBI's directions and fully cooperated in the probe. I also shared the digital and other evidence on the paper leak in the case with them," Panwar stated.
However, he emphasized that focusing on just one exam would not solve the systemic problem. He called for a broader investigation. "We demand that the CM order CBI investigations into all other recruitment exam scams. We have concrete evidence of massive irregularities in those exams," Panwar asserted. He warned that if this demand is not met, his organization would launch a massive statewide protest to seek justice for unemployed youth.
How Panwar's Name Surfaced in the Case
The CBI's interest in Panwar stems from the statement of an accused in the case, Suman Chauhan. According to the FIR registered by the CBI on October 28, Chauhan alleged that after receiving the leaked question paper from another accused, Khalid Sehzad, she contacted Bobby Panwar. Chauhan, a professor at a government college in Tehri Garhwal, claimed that Panwar advised her to wait before informing the police about the leak. The CBI arrested Suman Chauhan on November 27.
The case was originally investigated by the Dehradun police, who had arrested Khalid Sehzad and his two sisters, Sabia and Hina, for their alleged involvement. All three were jailed. After taking over the case, the CBI has been working to trace the origin and determine the full scale of the paper leak, expanding the scope of the investigation significantly.
