Karnataka PSI hiring scam is worth Rs 300 crore, says Siddaramaiah

The Congress leader said that Araga Jnanendra, the state home minister, is 'directly responsible' for the scam

Karnataka Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah on Wednesday demanded a judicial commission to probe the police sub-inspectors’ recruitment scam and the sacking of BJP ministers Araga Jnanendra and C N Ashwath Narayan for their “complicity” in the irregularities.

“People are spitting on this government for corruption,” Siddaramaiah told a news conference. The PSI recruitment scam, according to him, is worth Rs 300 crore.

The Congress leader said Jnanendra, the home minister, is “directly responsible” for the scam. “Some aggrieved candidates wrote to the DGP on January 25, 2022, but no action was taken. Then, Animal Husbandry Minister Prabhu Chauhan wrote a letter on February 3 and BJP MLC S V Sankanur flagged irregularities on March 15,” he said.

“On March 10, the home minister gave a written reply in the legislature that the written exams went on smoothly. On the same day, to another question, he said five candidates had filed a complaint and that no irregularities were found. Is he fit to continue as a minister?,” Siddaramaiah asked.

Read | Anulment of PSI exams: Candidates approach Tribunal

Training his guns on Narayan, the higher education minister, Siddaramaiah claimed he was linked to tainted candidates in the PSI recruitment scam. “Darshan Gowda and Nagesh Gowda, 5th and 10th rank, respectively, are relatives of Narayan. Darshan was called for inquiry on April 20. He was let off. Why was he let off?,” Siddaramaiah said.

Apparently, in the PSI recruitment written exam, Darshan Gowda secured only 19 out of 50 in the first paper (essay writing), but bagged 141 out of 150 in the second (multiple choice questions). “He became intelligent for the second paper,” Siddaramaiah quipped.

The former CM also pointed to corruption allegations in the recruitment of assistant professors in the higher education department.

“Both Jnanendra and Narayan must be sacked immediately,” Siddaramaiah said.

Attacking the BJP government further, Siddaramaiah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done nothing for the past 10 months on a complaint addressed to him by the Karnataka State Contractors Association on the ‘40% commission’ charge. “Neither an inquiry was ordered nor any report sought from the state government. This is the same Modi who says, ‘Na khaunga, na khane dunga’ (I won’t take a bribe and allow others to give bribe),” he said.