PSI scam suspect had availed leave to duck scrutiny in separate fraud

The CID sleuths bring Divya Hagaragi, one of the suspects in the PSI job scam, to her house for mahazar in Kalaburagi on Sunday. Credit: Special Arrangement

The irrigation department assistant engineer Manjunath Melakundi, one of the suspects in the PSI recruitment scam, availed medical leaves for 17 days only to keep the department in dark about his arrest in connection with irregularities in exams conducted by the the Public Works Department (PWD) to fill up posts of engineers last year, according to sources.

The department suspended Melakundi soon after the court remanded him in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for his alleged role in the PSI recruitment scam.

The PWD conducted exams on December 13 and 14, 2021. Melakundi was caught while he was allegedly trying to supply a bluetooth device to a candidate at a centre in Bengaluru. A case, registered in Bengaluru, led to his arrest in Kalaburagi on December 20. He was in judicial custody till January 7, added the sources.

He had managed to get a certificate issued to him by a doctor of Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS). He sought medical leave between January 2 and 18 based on the certificate, added the sources.

“The department had granted a 17-day medical leave to him based on his request,” Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) Kalaburagi division executive engineer Suryakanth Maley said.

GP chief detained

President of Bekka gram panchayat in Channarayapatna of Hassan district Keshavamurthy has been detained for questioning in connection with the PSI job scam.

He was detained from his house and then was taken to Bengaluru. The sleuths are searching for one more person.

The name of Venkatesh, a son of Chandrashekar of Bekka village, figures in the PSI provisional selection list. There was a deal for Rs 40 lakh involving Chandrashekar , Venkatesh and Keshavamurthy.

The police have already questioned the father son duo.

Half kg gold in locker

The sleuths took Rudragouda Patil, the kingpin of the scam, to a bank to verify financial transactions. There was half kg of gold in his locker. He has no more locker which will be opened on Monday, said the sources.