Flawed HSSC-I results: Three RBISE officials arrested for preparing forged results

Former examination controller yet to be arrested, says ACE official.

RAWALPINDI:

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) on Thursday arrested three officials of the Rawalpindi Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (RBISE) for allegedly preparing fake results of intermediate part-I (HSSC-I).

The arrest was made after their pleas for pre-arrest bail were rejected by the trial court.

Anti-Corruption Court Special Judge Chaudhry Amir Muhammad Khan rejected the bail pleas of former RBISE examination controller Amjad Iqbal Bhara, computer in-charge Afzal Bhatti, programmer Muhammad Asif and data entry operator Sarfaraz Ahmed. All of them, except for Bhara, have been taken into custody.

“The three officials are likely to be produced before the court for physical remand and efforts would be made to arrest the controller,” said an official of the ACE, requesting anonymity.

The four officials were suspended when a criminal case was registered against them. On November 13, 2011, former RBISE chairman Dr Muhammad Qasim had informed the Higher Education Department (HED) that these officials had prepared fake results during the rechecking of HSSC-I exams.

Later, it was learnt that the results were prepared on a set pattern of 13, 17 and 20 marks to certain series of roll numbers.

Following the information, HED Additional Secretary Zarak Mirza lodged a complaint with the ACE and a case was registered on December 3, 2011.

The RBISE also cancelled the results for objective papers, announcing only partial results on December 24.

Talking to The Express Tribune ACE Director Muhammad Khan Ranjha said the role of former RBISE chairman is also being probed but so far no evidence has been found against him in the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2012.