Candidates for clerical post allege large-scale corruption in appointments.
Call it sheer coincidence, or blame it on institutional corruption. From the son and daughter-in-law of the administrative officer, right to the wife of a peon in the transport commissioner’s office, a number of obvious suspects figure among the 300-odd appointments finalised for the posts of clerks and typists in RTOs across the state, including 44 posts for Thane region alone.
The fact that the outgoing transport commissioner DG Jadhav hurried the appointments just a month before his retirement lends further credence to the conspiracy theory.
The unsuccessful candidates are now knocking the doors of Mantralaya to stay the appointments and order an enquiry into the process.
“There has been large-scale favouritism and corruption in the selection process. Besides the kith and kin of insiders, most of the shortlisted candidates have been appointed through influence and on the strength of monetary considerations,” said one candidates, adding that besides senior transport officials, there are political recommendations from the ruling parties as well as the opposition parties.
“Everybody has their quota in the appointments and merit is not a consideration. You have to pay Rs12 lakh for a job with a salary of Rs12,000 per month,” said another candidate. The candidates said that two senior RTO officials posted at the transport department’s headquarters are the kingpins of the systemic corruption.
“They have been holding the same posts for almost 10 years, even as their bosses as well as juniors are routinely transferred,” the candidate said. Incidentally, a similar recruitment drive in 2007 also came under fire and eventually a group of candidates secured orders from the high court to get some of the appointees dismissed for submitting fake certificates.
Even as the affected candidates from the previous drive went into appeal and the matter is still pending before the courts, Jadhav pushed through the fresh round of recruitments.
“The entire application, examination and appointment process was done online and in a transparent manner, in associated with the state’s Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited,” said Jadhav.
Admitting that there were similar issues with the previous drive, Jadhav said that unlike last time, there was neither offline shortlisting of candidates nor a personal interview.
Transport secretary Shailesh Kumar Sharma said that he has already instructed the new transport commissioner to investigate into the case. “He will find out the facts relating to the issue and necessary action will be taken,” Sharma said.
Meanwhile, incoming transport commissioner VN More said, “I have just taken the charge and will look into the case. Till then, the appointments are on hold.”
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