The Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has invoked the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA), 2000, on R D Patil and 11 others, accused in the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) recruitment exam scam.
The CID invoked the KCOCA on Patil, Santhosh Kottalli, Shivakumara, Sidrama Koli, Ravikumar, Rudragouda, Rahim Choudhary, Sagar, Basanna Poojari, Chandrakantha Burakal, Shashidhara Jamadara and Basavaraja Yelavara, the agency said in a statement.
“There are close to nine chargesheets against these people,” a well-placed source told DH. “Some of the accused’s involvement was found in the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam too. There are eight cases registered regarding the KEA scam in Kalaburagi and Yadgir.”
The scam came to light during the recruitment exam conducted by the KEA on October 28, 2023, to fill vacant posts of First Division Assistants (FDA).
Over 20 aspirants were allegedly caught using Bluetooth devices for malpractice during the exams in Kalaburagi and Yadgir and were subsequently arrested.
As many as 45 people have been arrested so far in connection with the KEA scam, senior CID officers said.
“Among these 45, against whom there is more than one chargesheet filed earlier, KCOCA has been invoked,” the source added. “The accused were associates of Patil and helped him in nefarious activities.”
Among other provisions, the KCOCA law, which is modelled after the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), allows the police to have custody of the accused persons for a period of up to 30 days and to use the confessions before the police officers as evidence.
Published 20 December 2023, 20:18 IST