SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh High Court  upheld the acquittal of Chohan Singh and others accused in a case of alleged examination fraud and forgery.

 The State had appealed the 2012 decision by a Special Judge in Kullu, which found insufficient evidence to convict the defendants of manipulating official records and documents.

The court bench headed by Justicec Vivek Singh Thakur and Bipin Chander Negi observed that the evidence presented failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt any criminal intent or conspiracy, noting inconsistencies in record-keeping and administrative errors.

The case dates back to 2009, when Chohan Singh and several others were accused of manipulating exam records and tampering with official documents in an alleged scheme to alter examination outcomes for financial gain.

The scandal came to light after an internal audit in Kullu raised suspicions about irregularities in exam scores and certificates issued by the board.

Following the audit, authorities filed a complaint, leading to an extensive investigation and, ultimately, criminal charges against the accused.

During the investigation, the prosecution alleged that Chohan Singh and his associates had falsified entries and forged signatures to inflate scores for certain candidates.

These manipulations were purportedly part of a larger conspiracy to secure positions and promotions for these candidates within the educational system.

Authorities claimed they found altered records and falsified documents, leading to charges under various sections related to forgery, cheating, and criminal conspiracy.

In 2012, the Special Judge in Kullu acquitted Chohan Singh and his co-accused, citing lack of concrete evidence and inconsistencies in the prosecution's case.

The court noted that the discrepancies could not definitively link the accused to the alleged crimes.

Dissatisfied with the verdict, the State appealed to the Himachal Pradesh High Court, seeking a re-evaluation of the evidence and a reversal of the acquittal.

However, after reviewing the case, the High Court recently upheld the original decision, emphasizing the lack of credible evidence to prove the accused's involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.