SRINAGAR: In a controversial development, Dr. Karnail Singh, former Commandant of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the alleged main accused in the Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub-Inspector (JKPSI) recruitment scam, has joined the National Conference (NC) a few days ago in the presence of party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah.
Welcoming Singh into the party, Dr. Abdullah, according to Srinagar-based news gathering agency Kashmir Dot Com, hailed the NC as a “mass movement” dedicated to the progress and development of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“With Dr. Karnail Singh’s joining, the party will be further strengthened at the grassroots level. A strong National Conference is key to steering the region toward peace, progress, and development,” Abdullah remarked.
Dr. Singh, who is currently out on bail, pledged to work toward the party’s vision of a peaceful and progressive Jammu and Kashmir. Madan Lal, Kamlesh, and several supporters also joined the NC during the event, which was attended by senior leaders like Dr. Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal, Provincial President Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta, and Israr Khan.
Dr. Karnail Singh is embroiled in the JKPSI recruitment scam, where he has been accused of leaking examination papers for police sub-inspectors, junior engineers, and finance account assistants.
Arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2022, Singh has been described as the “kingpin” of the scam, which led to the cancellation of recruitment lists and affected thousands of candidates.
After spending months in custody, Singh was recently granted bail. Singh is among 24 individuals charge-sheeted in the case, which has drawn widespread public outcry for compromising the careers of aspirants and damaging the credibility of recruitment processes in J&K.
The National Conference’s decision to welcome a figure accused of such a serious crime has raised eyebrows, with critics questioning the party’s stance on transparency and accountability. (KDC)
