CID summons 50 candidates to probe police SI recruitment scam in Karnataka

Bengaluru

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating alleged irregularities in the police sub-inspector (PSI) written examination, summoned a set of candidates to appear before the investigating officer on Wednesday. They have been asked to carry their hall ticket and the candidate copy of the OMR sheet  

To begin with, summons have been issued to 50 candidates. Officials said they will question them to see if they were involved in the scam. Every candidate who sits for the test is given a copy of the OMR sheet after it is submitted. “These copies will be compared to evaluated OMR sheets as part of the probe,” said a CID officer.

According to CID officials, the probe has revealed irregularities at multiple-levels at Jnana Jyothi English Medium School in Kalaburagi, run by Divya Hagaragi, said to be a BJP worker. For instance, CCTV cameras installed at the exam halls were switched off, said officials. 

Three exam supervisors who are also among the accused allegedly helped the candidates mark a few answers on the OMR sheet. The rest of the sheet was left blank which was later filled up by them after they were submitted, the official added. 

Another team of CID officials is camped in Kalaburagi to track down the prime accused, allegedly linked to the BJP. On April 17, the CID  raided Gyan Jyoti English Medium School and the residence of Ms. Hagaragi. “So far, seven persons including one of the selected candidates and son of a police constable have been arrested in the scam and efforts are on to track down others,” said an official. 

Meanwhile, Congress has demanded a thorough investigation under the supervision of a sitting judge of High Court or Supreme Court in the case.

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson and former Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, at a press conference held on Tuesday in Kalaburagi, said that his party did not have faith in the State police as the examination was conducted by the Police Department itself and Ms. Hagaragi was a leader of the ruling BJP.