Overview
- The Special Investigation Team submitted a report dated Aug 10, 2026, to the Andhra Pradesh High Court that documents procedural failures in both the digital and manual evaluation of the 2018 Group‑I mains.
- The SIT found that digital evaluation was adopted without the APPSC chairman’s approval and that the evaluator panel was not properly vetted, with some people outside the approved panel paid to mark scripts.
- Investigators flagged security and chain‑of‑custody breaches, including use of private email and Google Drive, Excel mark sheets with no audit trail, missing CCTV records, and answer scripts stored at a private resort for 84 days.
- The team reported physical alterations and possible forgery on valuation slips — including 169 slips with white correction fluid and handwriting links to chief examiners — and noted 202 candidates who were shortlisted digitally did not appear on the manual shortlist.
- The SIT examined 736 exhibits and 173 witness statements and used multiple CFSLs but said seven forensic reports are still pending, leaving legal conclusions described as prima facie and further probes and accountability measures expected.