Published Oct 28, 2026 | 1:41 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 28, 2026 | 1:41 PM
The Kerala state PSC described the omission as an error in the evaluation process.
Synopsis: The Kerala Police Crime Branch has arrested former PSC Deputy Secretary P Satheesh over irregularities in the examination for Chief of the State Planning Board, in which questions carrying 58 marks were excluded from evaluation. The arrest comes ahead of the SIT’s planned questioning of PSC Chairman MR Baiju on 28 October.
The Crime Branch of the Kerala Police has arrested former Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) Deputy Secretary P Satheesh in connection with irregularities in the examination for the post of Chief of the State Planning Board.
Satheesh, who was in charge of conducting the examination, was taken into custody from his residence in Kozhikode and will be brought to Thiruvananthapuram for further questioning.
The arrest comes ahead of the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) planned questioning of PSC Chairman MR Baiju on Wednesday, 28 October.
The investigation found that questions carrying 58 marks were excluded from the evaluation process. Satheesh and R Hari, Additional Secretary in the PSC Examination Wing, have been accused of playing a role in the irregularities. Both officials were responsible for the evaluation process, and the Crime Branch had named them as accused in a report submitted to the court.
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The government subsequently suspended Hari and withheld Satheesh’s retirement benefits following the allegations. Satheesh retired from service recently.
Both officials had maintained that the omission of the questions was the result of a technical error and not deliberate fraud. However, the investigation has reportedly uncovered evidence pointing to their involvement in the irregularities.
The arrest follows the court’s criticism of the delay in taking action against the accused. During a recent hearing, the court questioned the government’s failure to act decisively and observed that it had issued no direction that would obstruct the investigation. It also raised the possibility of collusion in the case.
The Crime Branch decided to arrest Satheesh after questioning PSC members. Investigators are expected to examine whether other senior officials were involved in the alleged fraud, based on statements recorded from members of the commission.
Meanwhile, the SIT has registered two more cases involving examination irregularities in recruitment to the posts of Fisheries Extension Officer in the Fisheries Department and Village Oil Inspector in the Khadi Board. Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
(Edited by Dese Gowda with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
