Karnataka: ADGP recruitment wing shunted days after PSI recruitment scam

In October last year, 54,041 candidates had appeared for the examination for the posts of police sub-inspectors. As many as 545 posts were to be filled but soon several officers were accused of a scam in the recruitment process. The Criminal Investigation Department was entrusted with the probe and till now, 14 persons have been arrested.

Following the results in January this year, some of the aspirants alleged irregularities. They claimed many of the students who performed poorly in descriptive writing got as many as 130 marks in paper 2 which raised suspicion. A letter was sent by one police officer from Kalaburagi and Mysuru to the Director General of Police (DGP) to conduct a revaluation. However, the officers denied any irregularities. In a written reply during the Assembly session, state home minister Araga Jnanendra said there was no malpractice in the examination.

As Araga Jnanendra asked for proof, one of the candidates filed an application under Right to Information (RTI) that the OMR sheets of one of the candidates be made public. However, the recruitment wing of Karnataka State Police declined his request, citing law. Later, the OMR sheet of one of the accused, Veeresh, surfaced. It was then that the state home minister said the CID will be investigating the case.

The scam also led to a political blame game after BJP leader Divya Hagaragi was accused in the scam and Afzalpur Congress MLA M Y Patil’s gunman Hayyali Desai was arrested.

Police sources said the scam has exposed malpractices in the other examinations as well. Bengaluru Police are presently probing the Assistant Professor of the recruitment process and have arrested a person named Sowmya R from Mysuru for his alleged involvement in the scam.