Forensic test nails 751 'Munnabhai' teachers in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: The forensic experts in Haryana have nailed 751 'Munnabhais' who were selected as junior basic teachers (JBT) in Haryana schools after clearing the Haryana Teachers Eligibility Test (HTET) through impersonation.
The report, submitted before the Punjab and Haryana high court, has also pointed out that thumb impression of 6049 candidates was found "non-comparable". Taking up the report, the HC has now directed the state government to re-examine these 6049 candidates and submit a fresh report before it on May 27.
The report submitted by the director of elementary education also said around 390 teachers did not appear before the investigation team to submit their samples while record of two teachers could not be traced.
Out of the total 8285 selected teachers, only 1093 were found genuine as their fingerprints were matching with the samples on answersheets.
In a first of its kind exercise in the country, around 8200 JBT teachers selected by the state government in 2009 are being verified by the state education board to find 'Munnabhais' who allegedly cleared the HTET through impersonation.
The department of elementary education and a team of forensic experts had collected the samples of their fingerprints, which were sent to the forensic science laboratory at Madhuban for matching it with their thump impressions on the answersheets and the application forms submitted at the time of appearing for HTET.
The FSL had recently completed its probe and given its report to elementary education department, which submitted the report to the HC on Friday.
The matter came to HC in December 2010, when Praveen Kumar and seven others moved a petition before the court seeking orders to verify the thumb impression of all the selected JBT teachers. Petitioners had submitted a list of 54 doubtful candidates. After taking a security of Rs 1 lakh from the petitioners, the HC ordered the verification of 54 candidates. Out of the 54 candidates, only eight were found to be genuine, following which the HC ordered for the verification of all the selected candidates.
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Total candidates examined-----------8285
Found Identical---------------------------1093
Non-Identical-------------------------------751
Un-Comparable---------------------------6049
Absentees----------------------------------390
Record not received for comparison---2