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Journalism of Courage
‘KPSC filled with thieves’: Shivakumar says may close Commission amid probe
Shivakumar said the government is consulting legal experts after the Karnataka High Court ordered an SIT probe into alleged KPSC recruitment irregularities.
D K Shivakumar seeks a fresh electoral roll revision and CEC Gyanesh Kumar's resignation amid a row over the voter list exercise (File photo).
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said Tuesday the state Public Service Commission, which handles recruitment for various government services, including the state administrative services, has become a den of thieves and the government is considering closing it down.
Shivakumar also said the government may appeal against a September 21 decision of the Karnataka High Court to constitute an SIT to investigate two alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission scams, including the illegal recruitment of the daughter of the now-suspended KPSC chairman to a post in the state industries department and the recruitment of veterinary doctors.
“Scams have increased in KPSC. I am discussing with experts to close this within the legal framework. KPSC has been filled with thieves. The authorities we selected with trust are doing all this. The members there have opened up shop. Our police officers have collected the documents. One day everything will come out, ” Shivakumar said.
“The future of children is important to us. This is why Siddaramaiah reduced the number of members in the KPSC during his tenure. If we trust and select officers transparently, they will do the same, ” he added.
Several political leaders, including former CM and current union minister H D Kumaraswamy and BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, have called for shutting down KPSC in recent weeks after the alleged irregularities in recruitments.
Shivakumar said he is also consulting legal experts over the Karnataka HC order to constitute a police SIT to probe the two alleged KPSC frauds.
“It is right that the court has directed the SIT to investigate. However, the state government should have been given the freedom to appoint investigators. We have received calls from Delhi and other states regarding this. I will seek the opinion of legal experts on this, ” he said.
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On Monday, the high court directed a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar, to conduct further investigation into the alleged KPSC recruitment scam involving veterinary officers. Four IPS officers, Anoop Shetty, Kushal Chouksey, Divya Gopinath, and Kshama Mishra, will be part of the team.
The Karnataka Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating the alleged scams, arrested the KPSC controller of exams and an IAS officer, Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, on August 29 for reportedly leaking questions for the entrance exam to recruit veterinary doctors in the state. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also arrested the suspended IAS officer.
ED has also arrested a middleman, Basavaraj Kannale, for allegedly selling the leaked questions to aspirants. He is allegedly associated with KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, who is also accused in the case.
The Karnataka Governor suspended Sahukar on August 25 over the alleged illegal recruitment of his daughter as an industrial extension officer, following a recommendation by the state Cabinet.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
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