APPSC Group-I Evaluation Scam: ED seizes documents, digital devices during raids

Amaravati: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at seven premises in Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Guntur in connection with the alleged irregularities in the evaluation of answer scripts in the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) Group-I Main Examination. The searches were carried out on November 4 under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.a

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ED said it had seized incriminating documents, digital devices and other records during the searches. The investigation is based on an FIR registered by the Suryaraopet Police Station in Vijayawada under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, relating to alleged cheating and criminal conspiracy in the examination evaluation process.

According to the ED, the controversy arose after the digital evaluation of Group-I Main Examination answer scripts, declared on April 28, 2021, was set aside by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in W.P. No.10805/2021. The court directed that the answer scripts be evaluated manually.

The ED said that between November 27, 2021, and February 19, 2022, when APPSC did not have a regular chairman, the then Commission secretary entrusted the manual evaluation work to Camsign Media Private Limited. The answer scripts were shifted to Haailand Resorts at Chinnakakani village in Guntur district and kept there for 84 days, between December 2021 and February 2022.

The agency alleges that no genuine manual evaluation was conducted. Instead, marks awarded during the earlier digital evaluation by TruGrader Services, a division of Stone Media Advisory Services Private Limited, were allegedly mapped as marks obtained through manual evaluation.

The ED further stated that on January 1, 2022, the exercise was publicly declared to be in its final stages. Subsequently, an amount of Rs.1,14,32,312 was released to Camsign Media through cheque No.197469, dated February 16, 2022, signed by the then APPSC secretary.

The answer scripts were brought back and re-evaluated at official premises under CCTV surveillance on February 19, 2022. The final results and selection list were declared on the basis of this subsequent evaluation.

The ED suspects that the payment of Rs.1.14 crore was made for a service that had not actually been rendered. It has termed the amount prima facie proceeds of crime under Section 2(1)(u) of the PMLA.

The searches covered the premises of the then APPSC secretary P Seetharama Anjaneyulu, Camsign Media and its managing director P Madhusudhana Rao, as well as premises connected with the storage and evaluation of answer scripts and the earlier digital evaluation agency. The ED said further investigation is under way.

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