Karnataka: PSI exam scam accused now ‘wanted’ in assistant engineer examination fraud, Bengaluru police seek custody

According to a police source, Chikkegowda, who appeared for the examination in St John’s high school in Nagarbhavi second stage, went to the restroom a few minutes after the examination started and managed to send a photo of the question paper. He was wearing a Bluetooth device and a person named Somu was giving out the answers to him. The probe revealed that two other candidates used similar unfair tactics.

Manjunath Melakundi, an assistant engineer named in the FIR was arrested, but Rudragowda Patil’s name was missing from the list. Later, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials probing PSI recruitment scam found that Rudragowda Patil was also involved in the assistant engineer recruitment scam.

A police officer said, “There were lapses in the investigation, deliberately or otherwise, which allowed Rudragowda Patil to continue his illegal activities. Had he been caught then and probed, irregularities in the PSI recruitment could have been stopped. City Police Commissioner Kamal Pant was reportedly not happy with the investigation and has directed officers to re-investigate the case.”

Speaking to indianexpress.com, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (West) Sanjeev M Patil said Rudragowda Patil’s involvement in the case registered in Annapoorneshwari Nagar police station has surfaced and a team has reached Kalaburgi and have sought court permission to take him into custody for further questioning. “We have submitted a chargesheet in the case and will continue the probe,” he said.

Meanwhile, CID police have arrested Keshavamurthy, president of Bekka gram panchayat in Channarayapatna taluk, Chandrashekhar, a resident of Bekka, and his son Venugopal. Venugopal, who worked for MGNREGA on contract basis in Arasikere taluk, had made it to the provisional list of the PSI examination.