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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has discovered a major recruitment fraud in the banking sector after examining recruitment records from the past five years. The investigation has identified 257 suspicious candidates who allegedly secured jobs by using other people to appear in bank recruitment examinations on their behalf. Of these, 172 candidates were found to be working in various banks. The CBI is now searching for other employees who may have obtained jobs through similar fraudulent methods.
The investigation began after the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) filed a complaint with the CBI. Following the complaint, the CBI registered a First Information Report (FIR) and started examining photographs and biometric records of candidates who appeared in bank recruitment examinations. The IBPS re-examined the available records and found discrepancies between the identities of candidates who appeared for the examinations and those who were eventually selected for bank jobs.
According to officials, the accused allegedly appeared in examinations and interviews on behalf of actual candidates at different stages of the recruitment process. Investigators compared photographs and biometric details to identify cases in which the person who took the examination was different from the candidate who secured the job.
A key part of the investigation involved examining recruitment records from 2020 to 2024. The CBI used iris scans, a biometric identification method based on the unique patterns of a person’s eyes, to establish links between the suspected fraud and candidates who were later employed by banks. In some cases, the iris scans matched those of accused individuals, while the recruitment records showed that the corresponding candidates had secured bank jobs. This helped investigators identify suspected employees who may have benefited from the fraud.
On October 8, officials confirmed that the CBI’s Special Task Branch in Mumbai had carried out simultaneous raids in several states as part of the investigation. Operations were conducted in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Haryana and West Bengal to trace the accused and take further action. So far, the CBI has arrested four people and named 135 individuals as accused in the case. The investigation is continuing, and efforts are being made to identify and apprehend other suspects.
Madhya Pradesh has also been affected by the investigation. As many as 19 employees of a regional rural bank in the state have already been suspended following the findings. The CBI has also issued instructions to the concerned banks to take strict action against employees found to have secured their positions through fraudulent means, in accordance with the applicable service rules.
Meanwhile, the IBPS has permanently debarred the 257 identified candidates, along with other suspected individuals, from appearing in its examinations. Those found guilty could face serious consequences, including termination of employment and criminal proceedings. The accused may also face arrest as the investigation progresses.
The CBI is continuing its nationwide investigation to determine the full extent of the fraud, identify other beneficiaries and establish the roles of those involved.
