Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hit back at Union Health Minister and BJP president J P Nadda over his remarks on the JKSSB paper leak controversy, asserting that the recruitment scam took place in 2022, two years before the NC-led government came to power.
Reacting to Nadda’s statement accusing the National Conference and Congress of maintaining silence over paper leak cases, Abdullah said the Union minister had “got the date wrong” and clarified that the incident occurred during the administration headed by the Lieutenant Governor.
“You are absolutely correct about the SSB paper leak in J&K @JPNadda ji but you have got the date wrong. It was 2022,” Abdullah posted on X.
“The government wasn’t of NC and Congress. It was a government headed by Lt. Governor but thank you for reminding everyone of this failure,” he added.
The Chief Minister also shared excerpts from the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court order, which had directed the LG-led administration to constitute a high-powered committee headed by a retired High Court judge to examine alleged irregularities in the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB).
Questioning the status of the inquiry, Abdullah said, “We have no idea what happened to the High Level Committee or its report. Perhaps you can share that with us in your next press conference.”
The JKSSB recruitment examinations for posts including sub-inspectors, junior engineers and finance accounts assistants were cancelled in 2022 following allegations of paper leaks and irregularities. The controversy had intensified after the selection of Mumbai-based Aptech Limited for conducting computer-based examinations despite allegations against the company over past examination-related issues.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Sunil Kumar Sharma launched a counterattack on Omar Abdullah, accusing his government of failing to maintain transparency on earlier examination scams.
In a statement, Sharma alleged that the Omar Abdullah-led government had extended support to Mushtaq Peer, the alleged main accused in the 2012 MBBS entrance paper leak case, by granting him an extension and later a post-retirement appointment.
“Before giving lectures on transparency and portraying himself as holier-than-thou, the Chief Minister should not forget how he gave an extension to Mushtaq Peer, the main accused in selling question papers of the Common Entrance Test-2012,” Sharma said.
Sharma further questioned why Omar Abdullah, who also holds the Home portfolio in Jammu and Kashmir, and investigating agencies did not act until the matter reached the High Court.
He also alleged that paper leak allegations had resurfaced during the JE Electrical examination in 2025, accusing the Chief Minister of selectively raising issues for political convenience.
The war of words between the ruling National Conference and BJP comes amid renewed political focus on examination transparency and recruitment processes in Jammu and Kashmir, with both sides trading allegations over accountability for past paper leak controversies.
