Hazaribag: A doctor and a home guard jawan have been booked for allegedly extorting money from newly selected home guard recruits during their medical examination in Chatra district, officials said on Thursday.The FIR was lodged at Chatra Sadar police station on Wednesday on the directions of deputy commissioner-cum-chairman of Home Guard Recruitment Committee, Ravi Anand. The complaint was filed by Kanhachatti circle officer-cum-in charge BDO of Chatra Sadar block, Manoj Kumar Gope.Those named in the FIR are Dr Avshesh Tripathi, a member of the medical examination team, and home guard jawan Ayush Kumar Singh. They were booked under sections related to extortion, cheating, criminal conspiracy, preparation of false documents by a public servant, besides provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.The medical examination and document verification of newly selected Home Guard recruits have been underway at the District Commandant, Home Guard office in Chatra since July 25 and are scheduled to continue till Aug 12.Officials said repeated complaints were received from candidates alleging that they were being forced to pay between Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,000 to obtain medical fitness certificates.Gope said, “Questioning of candidates and the preliminary probe revealed the prima facie involvement of the doctor and the Home Guard jawan, leading to registration of the FIR.”Sources further claimed that some candidates were allegedly asked to pay between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh to be declared medically fit. However, officials said these allegations have not yet been officially verified and will be part of the investigation.
