Andhra HC gives SIT 3 weeks to file Group-I probe report

Vijayawada: The high court on Monday granted three weeks to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities in the evaluation of Group-1 answer sheets for filing the final report.

The SIT submitted an interim report in a sealed cover and sought time for filing of the final report.Arguing on behalf of the SIT, public prosecutor Menda Lakshmi Narayana told the high court that they have sent the answer sheets for forensic audit to other states also, and the report from a few labs is still awaited. The Director General-rank official Ravi Shankar Ayyannar, who is heading the SIT, submitted that 80 percent of the forensic audit of the answer sheets has been completed.He said that they are still waiting for a report from the Shimla forensic laboratory. He sought some time to compile and file the final report. Considering the submissions of the SIT, the high court bench comprising Justice Battu Devanand and Justice A. Hari Haranatha Sharma granted three weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on July 20.The high court, after hearing a batch of petitions filed challenging the single-judge order cancelling the Group-1 examination held pursuant to the 2018 notification, constituted a SIT to probe the alleged irregularities.