A recruitment scam has been uncovered at the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Eight employees were suspended immediately for obtaining jobs through fraudulent means. These employees were hired under fixed pay contracts during the 2023-24 period. The main suspect in this scandal is Pulkit Sathwara, a suspended head clerk from AMC’s central office. This incident highlights a growing trend of corruption in securing government jobs in the state. It is vital that the system takes action to prevent such events and ensure that qualified candidates get jobs.
According to media sources, Pulkit Sathwara increased the marks of eight candidates in various departments, including the estate department and health and solid waste management. This manipulation allowed these candidates to appear on the merit list and secure jobs. However, now they face losing their positions.
Following the revelation of this fraudulent recruitment, AMC’s ruling BJP officials and the municipal commissioner formed a committee to investigate all recruitment processes from 2021 to 2025. The committee includes two deputy municipal commissioners and three HOD-level officials who are examining the hiring processes over the last five years.
The investigation revealed that Pulkit Sathwara altered candidates’ scores in the selection process, leading to their appointment. This includes roles such as sub-inspector, assistant surveyor, and health workers. The manipulation was confirmed when the committee reviewed the original results provided by the agency.
The recent uncovering of this scam raises questions about the transparency of AMC’s recruitment processes. Opposition parties have accused BJP officials of involvement in the irregularities. The AMC is under pressure to ensure fair hiring practices and restore public confidence.
This situation is not new for Pulkit Sathwara. He was previously linked to similar irregularities in the engineering department’s recruitment, where he also boosted candidates’ scores. Given this history, the AMC took immediate action to suspend him and begin police proceedings against those involved.
In total, 2786 candidates were appointed on a fixed pay basis, while 1316 were kept on a waiting list. During a review of the results, the eight candidates implicated in this scam were found to have received inflated scores, leading to their wrongful appointments.
The AMC’s recruitment committee is now under scrutiny to ensure that such corruption is addressed and prevented in future hiring processes. This scandal serves as a reminder of the need for rigorous checks and balances in public service appointments to uphold integrity and fairness in the recruitment system.