Kerala PSC fraud: Absconding aide of chairman arrested; more top officials summoned

In a major development on Friday (October 30), the Crime Branch wing of the state police arrested absconding Additional Secretary R Hari in connection with the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) examination fraud. Hari, who had been hiding at the Isha Yoga Centre in Coimbatore, was apprehended shortly after reaching a relative's house in Ernakulam. The official had been suspended after being named an accused in the case. Considered a close aide to PSC Chairman M R Baiju, Hari was in charge of evaluating the controversial State Planning Board examination alongside former Deputy Secretary P Satheesh, who was arrested earlier on Wednesday from his home in Kozhikode. Commission members reportedly told investigators that the chairman and Hari made key decisions unilaterally without prior consultation.

How the selection process was manipulated

The investigation centres on an examination conducted on July 13, 2023 for three senior posts in the State Planning Board, involving 228 candidates. The fraud came to light when alert candidates requested answer scripts under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and discovered that several descriptive answers were never marked.

In its remand report for Satheesh, the Crime Branch alleged deliberate manipulation carried out with the knowledge of key officials. Out of 28 questions, investigators found that 10 questions carrying 58 marks were intentionally excluded from digital evaluation. The online evaluation camp was subsequently closed without restoring these questions to alter rankings and benefit favoured candidates. One such beneficiary was appointed as Chief of Industry and Infrastructure in June 2025.

Widen probe and questioning of top officials

Following pressure from the Kerala High Court for decisive progress, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has significantly expanded its net. On Wednesday, SIT officers questioned PSC Chairman M R Baiju for over five hours. Baiju claimed that the commission made no errors and blamed technical lapses by officials.

The probe team has now summoned PSC Secretary Saju George for questioning on Saturday at 2 pm. Controller of Examinations Bini K Abraham has been summoned for Monday, while 10 other PSC members have been directed to appear starting next week. To handle three newly registered cases, the government has added two Superintendents of Police and one Deputy Superintendent of Police to the SIT. Overall, the state has received nearly 190 complaints covering alleged irregularities in exams conducted for the Fisheries department, Khadi Board, and Motor Vehicles department.