J&K Govt Terminates Services of 103 Fire & Emergency Services Appointees After Recruitment Scam Probe
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has terminated the services of 103 appointees in the Fire & Emergency Services (F&ES) Department after they were found to have been illegally selected during a recruitment process conducted in 2020. The action follows findings by an official Inquiry Committee and a criminal investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), J&K.
The decision was formalised through Government Order No. 608–Home of 2025, issued by the Home Department on December 15, 2025. The order relates to appointments made to the posts of Fireman and Fireman Driver and declares the recruitment process vitiated by serious irregularities.
Inquiry and ACB Findings
The government had constituted an Inquiry Committee in December 2022 to examine allegations of irregularities in the Fire & Emergency Services recruitment conducted in 2020. After a detailed examination, the committee recommended a criminal investigation, citing paper leakage, manipulation of results, and procedural violations.
Following the committee’s recommendations, the Anti-Corruption Bureau registered FIR No. 01/2025 on January 2, 2025. Verification reports submitted by the ACB revealed large-scale tampering of OMR sheets, fabrication of scanned answer sheets, and illegal manipulation of merit lists.
The investigation conclusively established that results were manipulated in favour of 106 candidates, who were awarded marks far in excess of what they had actually secured. The findings also point to tampered digital evidence, criminal conspiracy, and admissions by beneficiaries.
Government Action
Based on these findings and multiple official communications from the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the Home Department ordered the termination of services of 103 beneficiaries of the illegal recruitment process, in consultation with the General Administration Department.
Officials stated that the action reflects the government’s commitment to merit-based recruitment and its stated policy of zero tolerance towards corruption in public services.
What Lies Ahead
Sources indicated that criminal proceedings against officials, intermediaries, and beneficiaries involved in the scam are expected to continue as the Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation progresses.
The case is being viewed as one of the most significant recruitment-related crackdowns in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, with wider implications for transparency and accountability in government hiring.
