Responding to the widespread criticism about alleged fraud in the recruitment of sub-inspectors of Police by the J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB), Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday ordered a time-bound high-level probe into the issue.

Sinha announced that the additional chief secretary (Home) will inquire into the matter and submit his report in a time-bound manner.

Candidates and political parties have been crying fouls ever since the JKSSB declared the result on 4 June for these recruitments. Aspirants took out processions calling the result “fraud” and “unfair”.

”For last two to three days, newspapers are publishing reports thereby the recruitment of sub-inspectors has come under suspension,” Sinha said while addressing a passing out parade of deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) and probationary sub-inspectors (PSIs) at SKP academy in Udhampur.

“The selection list will be canceled if any wrongdoing is found during the probe,” Sinha said.

“No fingers were pointed at any other recruitment done so far and if there are apprehensions in the minds of people, the administration must carry out an impartial probe and take necessary action,” he said.

Some aspirants took to social media and questioned how names of siblings in many cases figured in the selection list of the SI exam.

Earlier, the aspirants alleged mass bungling in recruitment of Jammu Kashmir Police Sub Inspectors and Finance Accounts assistants. They demanded a fair inquiry by a professional investigation agency.

One of the aspirants while addressing the media said that there could be a huge scam behind the exam held by JKSSB.

Another aspirant claimed that around 40 siblings figure in the toppers list. They claimed that the “scam” was similar to the one recently reported in Himachal Pradesh.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also on Wednesday raised the issue by tweeting; “Questions of fairness loom over JKP SI exam held by JKSSB. Students have levelled serious allegations of fraud which must be looked into immediately. This at a time when unemployment in J&K is at a staggering 46%”.

CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami expressed serious concern over the alleged irregularities in the results for the posts of sub-inspector of police said “it seems that the results have been skewed in favor of influential candidates with scant regard for merit”.

Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma and senior leader of AAP Harsh Dev Singh have also sought a credible probe into the “recruitment scam”.