Karnataka sub-inspector exam scam: Nexus beyond politics; Cong, BJP leaders both held

At one end of the scam is Divya Hagargi, a self-professed Hindu activist who was earlier women's unit president of the BJP for Kalaburagi district, and at the other end is Mahanthesh Patil, former Afzalpur Congress block president

Congress' Mahanthesh Patil and BJP's Divya Hagargi

The fast-spiralling scam in police sub-inspector recruitment in Karnataka, that led to the cancellation Friday of the exam held in October 2021, has at the heart of it a BJP worker and a Congress leader of Kalaburagi district – underlining that political rivalry didn’t come in the way of the flourishing nexus that facilitated the cheating.

At one end is Divya Hagargi, a self-professed Hindu activist who was earlier women’s unit president of the BJP for Kalaburagi district and always remains in the news. It’s this spotlight that earned her a place both in the Karnataka State Nursing Council and Kalaburagi district’s DISHA Committee (or District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee, to oversee schemes, set up by the Union government).

Hagargi and her husband Rajesh also run an educational institution named Jnana Jyothi English Medium School under the Jnana Jyothi Institution.

Story continues below this ad

Explained | The Karnataka PSI recruitment scam in which a BJP leader’s house was raided

Hagargi’s political and business links put her in touch with several influential people in Kalaburagi. When officials recommended against holding the PSI exam at her school as it lacked basic facilities, she reportedly got a letter from a BJP MP of North Karnataka to make it happen.

Among the guests at her house two months ago was Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.

Hagargi was arrested Friday from the residence of Suresh Katagaon, who runs a sand business in Maharashtra and Karnataka. She was sent to 11 days of police custody.

At the other end of the scam is Mahanthesh Patil, former Afzalpur Congress block president, who has also been arrested. While Patil was the political face in the family, his brother Rudragouda Patil, a co-accused, is considered more influential.

Story continues below this ad

Also read | Maharashtra businessman held for sheltering key accused in SI recruitment exam scam

Rudragouda runs an academy to train aspirants for competitive examinations, and it is here that he is alleged to have sourced ‘customers’ or aspirants for the scam. The family also runs a paramedical college and a primary school.

While Mahanthesh has been in the Congress for long, his electoral forays for taluk panchayat seats have been unsuccessful thrice. The Patil family put in a lot of money to fund the same, reportedly selling 9 acres of agricultural land.

In 2015, Rudragouda was arrested for allegedly misappropriating around Rs 5 crore in MNREGA rural roads and other infrastructure works.

Police exam scam | Govt engineer who provided Bluetooth expertise among wanted suspects

Their growing influence meant the brothers came to be known as the go-to people for getting government work done.

Story continues below this ad

Afzalpur Congress MLA M Y Patil’s gunman Hayyali Desai incidentally was among the candidates who is alleged to have been helped by Rudragouda in clearing the PSI exam.

Lately, Mahanthesh had been trying to get closer to the Aam Aadmi Party, which hopes to make an entry in Karnataka with the Assembly elections of 2023. He also organised a mass wedding recently.

EAM Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Rubio hold bilateral discussions in New York

India51 min ago

Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar and US Senator Rubio met in New York to discuss the 25% tariff on Indian oil imposed by Trump. This was their first in-person meeting since the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting. India and the US also began talks for a trade agreement, with positive discussions during a recent visit by US trade officials to India.

View all shorts

Live Blog