On August 22, 2024 the Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna of the Rouse Avenue Court sentenced Dr. Balwinder Kumar Sharma, the former Registrar (Recruitment) of the Punjab and Haryana High Court to 5 years of imprisonment for her involvement in a 2017 Judicial Service Paper Leak Scandal.
In addition to Dr. Balwinder, two other individuals, Ms. Sunita and Ms. Sushila, have been convicted in the case.
The paper leak scandal pertained to the Haryana Judicial Services Preliminary Examination held in the year 2017. The presiding judge found the Dr. Balwinder and Sunita guilty of various offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and The Indian Penal Code, 1860.
It was observed that Dr. Balwinder, who held exclusive access to the examination paper, was found to have leaked it to one Ms. Sunita, who was a practicing advocate and had subsequently benefitted from the leak by scoring top position in the exam. Ms. Sunita also received a alike 5 years imprisonment term and a fine of ₹60,000/. Furthermore, Ms. Sushila, another candidate involved, was found guilty of receiving stolen property and has been sentenced to the time already undergone with an additional fine of ₹10,000/.
The above scandal caused the cancellation of the entire examination and also called for a thorough investigation to be overseen by the SIT, after the P&H High Court was approached with allegations of malpractice. The Supreme Court of India later transferred the trial to Delhi in 2021.
The Presiding Sessions Judge observed the broad consequences of such paper leaks, observing that they deteriorate public trust and also disrupt the recruitment process. The Ld. Single Judge also noted the need and necessity for stringent laws and reforms in order to tackle such disputes efficaciously, referring to the recently enacted Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 as a positive progress in this regard.
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