IRS officer booked for forging documents for UPSC exam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against 2008-batch Indian Revenue Services (IRS) officer Navneet Kumar for forging documents to appear in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam as he had crossed the permissible age-limit to appear for the examination.

Interestingly, it was found that Navneet Kumar's original name is Rajesh Kumar Sharma but he changed his identity and obtained certificates in the name of Navneet to make himself eligible. Rajesh Kumar is from West Champaran, Bihar.

The agency registered a cheating and forgery case after it received a written complaint where it was alleged that Navneet Kumar entered the service based on forged educational and birth certificates.

Navneet Kumar, son of Jay Narayan Sharma, got selected into the IRS through the 2007 UPSC examination. He passed class X through the Bihar School Examination Board in 1996, class Xll in 2003 and BA (Hons) in 2008 from Baba Saheb Ambedkar Bihar University Muzaffarpur. His date of birth is June 15, 1980.

It was found that there is one Rajesh Kumar Sharma, son of Jay Narayan Sharma of the same original address. This Rajesh Kumar Sharma studied at Jawahar Navodya Vidyalaya, Bettiah and passed class X in 1991 and class Xll in 1993 from CBSE Board.

lt is alleged that when Rajesh Kumar Sharma became overage for the UPSC exam, he changed his identity and obtained certificates in the name of Navneet Kumar, keeping the father's name and address the same.

Certificates issued by the Deputy Electoral Officer, West Champaran, Bettiah and statements of the village headman and other inhabitants indicate that Navneet Kumar later adopted the identity of Rajesh Kumar Sharma.

It is also alleged that Navneet Kumar submitted a BA (Hons) degree on December, 17, 2008 as per his provisional certificate which indicates he appeared in the BA exam in December, 2007.

As per exam notice, for Civil Services Exam, 2OO7 "the minimum educational qualification is a degree of a recognized university and candidates who declared qualified by UPSC for taking Mains exam will be required to produce the proof of passing of requisite examination. The application for the main exam shall be held in October or November, 2007".

During investigation, it became clear that he had manipulated things to appear for the exam. During verification it was learnt that he did not submit any Date of Birth certificate and the certificate of the Class XII exam passed by him in 2003 to the department.

"lt also emerged that Bihar School Examination Board has not cooperated in providing the required details of Navneet Kumar," the FIR stated.

"lt is prima facie criminal act of use of forged documents as genuine, change of identity for cheating in conspiracy with unknown public servants who might have helped in the act getting government job by assuming new identity to overcome restraint of being overage and against unknown private persons," the FIR stated.