Thiruvananthapuram: The Crime Branch investigation into the alleged PSC recruitment irregularities is now moving towards collecting cyber forensic evidence. As part of the probe, the investigating team will seize the hard disk of the online examination centre linked to the alleged rank manipulation in the Kerala State Planning Board Chief recruitment. The on-screen marking software used at the examination centre, along with the PSC's software, will undergo detailed forensic examination.

Since PSC examinations are conducted entirely online, cyber experts are expected to determine where the alleged manipulation took place and identify those responsible. Each official accesses the system through a unique login, enabling investigators to trace the instructions issued and any changes made by individual users.

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The investigation is also examining the role of Additional Secretary Harikumar and Deputy Secretary Sanal, who were in charge of the examination section during the Planning Board Chief recruitment. The Crime Branch has already collected details related to the PSC's computer systems and file movement. Relevant files and file notes will also be scrutinised.

The interview for the Planning Board Chief post was conducted by a panel headed by the PSC Chairman. Investigators have also found that in several recruitments to senior-level posts, certain candidates were awarded unusually high interview marks. The cyber forensic examination is expected to establish who carried out the alleged manipulation of marks.

Senior officials who served on the interview board, including the PSC Chairman, are also under investigation. Their computers and mobile phones may be subjected to forensic examination as part of the probe.

Probe to expand to more PSC examinations

The Crime Branch's special investigation team is widening its probe to include more PSC recruitment examinations. It has written to the PSC seeking details of all officials who have headed the examination section since 2019, including Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries. Many of these officials have since retired.

The team is also seeking their addresses so they can be summoned for questioning.

So far, the Crime Branch has received 92 complaints, including several related to the last two recruitment notifications for the Planning Board Chief post.

The complaints primarily concern recruitments to the first batch of the Kerala Administrative Service (KAS), Assistant Information Officer, University PRO, Fisheries Extension Officer, DySP (Special Recruitment), Coirfed Manager, DIET Lecturer, Research Officer in the Department of Economics and Statistics, and Village Oil Officer in the Khadi Board.