The Jharkhand Crime Investigation Department (CID) has conducted raids at multiple locations across the state as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities in competitive examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC).
According to a CID press release, the searches were carried out in connection with Case No. 16/2026 to arrest seven accused and execute warrants issued against them. The accused have been identified as Aditya Pandey, Pawan Kumar Singh, Ravishankar Kumar, Santosh Kumar Singh, Sanand Prakash, Lalu Kumar Yadav and Saurabh Kumar Pandey.
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The searches were conducted across several districts as investigators continued efforts to apprehend the accused. The case relates to alleged irregularities in various JPSC competitive examinations.
As part of the probe, the CID has begun matching OMR carbon copies obtained during the investigation and examining other evidence collected in the case. The agency said the investigation is ongoing and further legal action will be taken based on the evidence gathered.
The development comes amid protests over alleged irregularities and paper leaks in JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) examinations. On August 13, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged demonstrations in several cities, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and strict action against those responsible.
In New Delhi, students and ABVP workers protested outside Jharkhand Bhawan, calling for concrete steps to restore the credibility of the state’s examination system. The ABVP said similar protests were held in Lucknow, Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Gorakhpur, Jodhpur, Kota, Raipur, Bhubaneswar, Varanasi and Prayagraj, among other locations and university campuses.
The student organisation has demanded an impartial, high-level CBI investigation into alleged irregularities in JPSC and JSSC examinations. It has also sought the immediate cancellation of the JSSC CGL examination over concerns about its integrity, along with fresh examinations wherever irregularities have been reported.
The protests followed ongoing demonstrations by students in Jharkhand. The ABVP alleged that students who protested peacefully on August 10 and 11 faced lathi-charge, water cannons and arrests.
Meanwhile, JPSC-JSSC aspirants continue their protest at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium in Ranchi, maintaining pressure on the state authorities to address concerns over the examination process.
India captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir face a key selection dilemma ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle, with the battle for the No. 6 spot emerging as one of the major talking points.
The Indian team management is reportedly weighing Dhruv Jurel against the returning Sarfaraz Khan for the middle-order position. While Jurel has shown considerable promise in Test cricket, his recent run of inconsistent performances has raised questions over his place in the playing XI.
With Rishabh Pant established as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper, Jurel has largely featured as a specialist batter in his 10 Tests. However, the 25-year-old has failed to register a half-century in his last six Test innings, increasing the pressure on him to deliver with the bat.
Jurel endured a difficult outing during India’s 0-2 home Test series defeat to South Africa in November 2025. According to a report by The Times of India, the team management has conveyed to Jurel that he needs to improve his performances significantly if he is to continue playing as a specialist batter.
The management was reportedly particularly concerned not only by his low scores but also by the manner in which he lost his wicket.
Jurel scored 19 in India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June. He subsequently found form for India A, scoring a century and a fifty against Sri Lanka A. However, he failed to carry that momentum into India’s warm-up match ahead of the upcoming Test series, recording scores of 1 and 17.
His recent struggles have seen his Test batting average fall to 34.14 after 10 matches.
The return of Sarfaraz Khan has further intensified the competition for the No. 6 position. Sarfaraz has played four fewer Tests than Jurel but has already matched his tally of centuries while registering two more half-centuries.
With both players competing for the same spot, Gill and Gambhir will have to decide whether to persist with Jurel or hand Sarfaraz another opportunity in the middle order.
The decision could have implications beyond the Galle Test, with the competition for the No. 6 position potentially becoming a longer-term selection battle for India’s Test side.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
