The Supreme Court has upheld the Rajasthan High Court’s decision to cancel the 2021 Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment for 859 posts, citing large-scale paper leaks and fraud in the examination process. The apex court dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by selected candidates without issuing notice to them.
A bench comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma passed the order while hearing petitions filed by selected candidates, including Payal Sharma and others. The petitions challenged the Rajasthan High Court’s April 4, 2026 verdict that had annulled the SI Recruitment 2021 due to widespread irregularities, paper leaks, and organized fraud.
Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and P. S. Patwalia appeared for the selected candidates. They argued that the leak was not widespread and that only around 6.3% of candidates had been found guilty. According to them, innocent candidates could have been separated from those involved in malpractice. They also highlighted that 838 selected candidates had already been appointed and serving for nearly two years, with significant government expenditure incurred on their training.
However, the Supreme Court observed that the recruitment process had been deeply compromised by large-scale paper leaks, making it impossible to distinguish fairly between guilty and innocent candidates under the present circumstances. Referring to the NEET controversy, the bench noted that even when only a limited number of candidates were found involved, courts had still intervened to preserve the integrity of the examination process.
The court, however, granted limited relief to candidates who were previously employed in Central Government departments or PSUs before joining the SI recruitment process. Such candidates have been allowed to approach the High Court through review petitions.
Possible Relief Measures for Candidates
Following the cancellation, discussions have begun over possible relief for affected candidates:
1.The Rajasthan Government may consider conducting an additional third shift examination for around 2.21 lakh candidates. For this, amendments to the Rajasthan Police Rules, 1989 may be required, possibly with retrospective effect.
2.The government may also announce fresh SI recruitment in 2026 with age relaxation for affected aspirants. The expected vacancies could initially range between 500 and 600 posts and may later increase to 800–900.
Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal welcomed the verdict, calling it a victory for transparency and justice. He said the decision had strengthened the faith of youth in the judiciary.
Meanwhile, U. R. Sahu stated that the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) would take further action in accordance with the government’s decision regarding the recruitment process.
Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena said that strong evidence regarding the scam had earlier been provided to investigative agencies, but no effective action was taken by the previous government. He claimed the current government acted firmly against the paper leak mafia and arrested those responsible.
How the Scam Was Exposed
The Special Operations Group (SOG) investigation into the 2021 SI recruitment scam became one of Rajasthan’s biggest recruitment fraud probes. The scandal began unfolding in early 2024 after the arrest of a trainee SI posted at Jaipur Police Lines.
At the time, the SOG was headed by V. K. Singh. So far, around 145 people have been arrested, including 63 trainee SIs and several selected SIs. Investigations revealed that some candidates used dummy candidates, while others allegedly obtained question papers before the examination.
The probe uncovered the involvement of multiple organized gangs, including networks allegedly linked to former RPSC member Babulal Katara and Ramuram Raika, along with several paper leak and solver gangs operating across the state.
The Supreme Court also refused to remove the Rajasthan High Court’s adverse remarks against former RPSC chairman Sanjay Shrotriya. The court observed that the irregularities occurred during his tenure, and therefore the remarks would remain on record.
