Jaipur: The Supreme Court on Friday overturned the bail granted to Indraj Singh and Salman Khan by the High Court in the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) Assistant Engineer (Civil) Competitive Examination-2022 fraud case.

A division bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Ahsanuddin Amanullah ruled that the trial court was justified in denying bail. While acknowledging factors like lack of prior criminal records and time spent in custody, the bench stressed that courts must not overlook the gravity of the primary offence and its societal impact.

The case involves a sophisticated examination malpractice where Singh orchestrated a plan for a dummy candidate, Gurdeep Das, to take the exam in his place. Authorities uncovered the fraud, which included tampering with admit cards and replacing Singh’s photograph with that of the proxy.

Additional Advocate General Shiv Mangal Sharma, representing Rajasthan, emphasized that such actions erode public trust in administrative integrity. The Jaipur Metropolitan II court had earlier denied bail to Singh on March 13, 2024, citing severe damage to the legal system. Khan’s bail plea was also rejected on April 4, 2024, due to his role in arranging the impersonation for financial gain.

Despite their subsequent appeal, the High Court granted bail, reasoning that no actual appointments resulted from the fraud and that there was insufficient evidence linking Khan directly to impersonation. However, the Supreme Court has now set aside this relief, reaffirming the seriousness of the offence.