Lucknow: A major revelation has come to light in the 2016 X-ray technician recruitment scam in Uttar Pradesh. Investigations have uncovered that in several cases, more than one person secured appointments on the same post using identical names and details. In some instances, as many as six individuals drew salaries under one name for nearly nine years.
The recruitment was conducted in 2016 for 403 X-ray technician posts in the Health department. Officials found that six people were employed under the name Arpit and were continuously drawing salaries. Fresh scrutiny has now revealed that two individuals were appointed under the name Ankur, while six were appointed under the name Ankit, all using slightly altered personal details.
According to documents shared by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission with the Directorate of Health, one Ankur Mishra, born on December 5, 1994, was appointed in Mainpuri in June 2016 and is now posted at the District Tuberculosis Office in Mainpuri. Another Ankur Mishra, with a birth date of November 15, 1994, was also appointed the same year and is currently posted at a community health centre in Muzaffarpur. Both have their permanent address listed as Mainpuri.
The case of Ankit Singh is even more serious. Records show six different individuals were appointed under this name. One was posted in Hardoi, another in Lakhimpur, one in Gonda, and others in Azamgarh, Lalitpur, and Badaun. Two of them have gone missing from their postings, while one was dismissed from service.
Former Director General of Health Badri Vishal said the irregularities point towards large-scale lapses at every level. He raised the possibility of cloned appointment letters, forged Aadhaar documents, and failure of proper verification of joining certificates and bank accounts.
The probe was ordered on the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak. Chief Medical Officers from the affected districts have been summoned to Lucknow and directed to submit complete service records of the recruits. As the investigation gathered pace, several X-ray technicians employed under the name Arpit absconded from their postings.
In Farrukhabad, the CMO reported that a technician working under the name Arpit was later identified as Ajit Singh from Etah. He stopped reporting to duty last Friday and his mobile phone has been switched off since. In Balrampur, an X-ray technician disappeared the same day after briefly attending work. Similar reports have come from Rampur, Banda and Badaun.