SOG expand probe into recruitment scam involving forged divorce certs

Jaipur: The Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police has widened its probe into a recruitment scam, placing more than 50 women under investigation for allegedly using forged divorce certificates to secure govt jobs. According to police officials, some women exploited recruitment rules that grant quota to divorcees, producing fake documents to claim eligibility. The scale of the fraud has triggered concerns over similar malpractice in other govt departments. The SOG stated that the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSSB) shared a report raising suspicion about certain selected candidates using forged documents. DIG (SOG) Paris Deshmukh said around 50 complaints were received, some involving fake divorce papers. "After investigation, anyone found guilty will be dealt with according to the rules," he said. Sources said SOG teams were cross-checking civil records with court decrees and municipal data to verify the authenticity of marital-status claims. "This is not just about fake papers; it is about robbing genuine candidates of their rightful opportunities. The network behind such document forgery will be traced and prosecuted," said an official. The crackdown follows the filing of two FIRs against 123 people accused of using fraudulent documents to obtain govt teaching posts. The SOG has written to the education department, urging immediate departmental action against all accused. The scandal has its roots in a directive issued last year when the state govt ordered all departments to verify the educational qualifications, application forms, photographs and signatures of employees recruited between 2019 and 2024. The Directorate of Elementary Education, Bikaner, formed committees in each division to scrutinise records.

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