The high court on Thursday ordered notices to state government and Karnataka State Police (recruitment wing) in a PIL, filed by Congress MLA Priyank Kharge, seeking fair, independent and transparent investigation, monitored by court, into PSI recruitment scam.
A division bench, headed by Justice Alok Aradhe, has also ordered notice to Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the agency investigating the case. The FIR in the case was registered at Chowk Police Station in Kalaburagi on April 9, 2022 and the case was subsequently transferred to the CID.
The petition stated that despite months of probe, the investigation was silent on the involvement of ministers and members of Legislative Assembly. According to the petitioner, the preliminary investigation had revealed the involvement of various high-ranking officers and individuals. The petition stated that the CID had not been able to make any headway in unearthing the alleged nexus between the candidates, officers and the politicians.
“As per various media reports, one current cabinet minister is also allegedly involved, insofar as the said minister was able to successfully make his candidates clear the recruitment examination through unlawful means, still, no investigation has been undertaken with respect to the media reports and allegations made therein,” the petition said.
The scam involved malpractices and corruption in the recruitment of 438 sub-inspectors to police department across the state, including 107 sub-inspectors in Kalyana Karnataka region. The examination was held on October 3, 2021 and the results were announced on January 21, 2022.
Published 02 February 2023, 16:54 IST