Cong stages sit-in at Vidhan Soudha seeking judicial probe into PSI scam

Karnataka Congress leaders staged a protest in Bengaluru's Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, demanding a judicial probe into the PSI recruitment scam instead of a probe by the CID.

The Congress' Karnataka unit on Thursday demanded a judicial probe into the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam by staging a sit-in demonstration inside the Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru.

Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru. (File photo)

Leaders alleged that a large-scale cheating such as this could not take place without government support, news agency PTI reported. Senior leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar were present at the demonstration.

"The government wanted to recruit 545 sub-inspectors. They collected money from more than 300 candidates and their OMR sheets were altered at the office of ADGP Amrit Paul, who headed the police recruitment division. This tampering with OMR cannot happen without the backing of ministers and the state government," Siddaramaiah said.

"Can Paul be arrested without corruption? More than 50 people have been arrested. There is a big web of corruption in which ministers and officials are involved," Siddaramaiah added.

Amrit Paul, an IPS officer who was in charge of recruitments, was transferred from his position in late April after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) began its investigation. He was arrested on Monday.

Read: ADGP Amrit Paul arrested in PSI recruitment case

Former CM Siddaramaiah called for a judicial probe under the supervision of a Karnataka high court judge. He said a fair probe could then be ensured as charges have been levelled against senior officers and ministers. He said the Congress had previously insisted the CID should not be probing the case.

Siddaramaiah also accused chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, home minister Araga Jnanendra and higher education minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan of trying to cover up the scam. "Today, we staged a sit-in demonstration. Our struggle will continue till the judicial inquiry is ordered and the kingpins are arrested," the Congress legislator said.

The exams to fill in 545 PSI posts took place in October and malpractices first came to light when it was observed that most rankers emerged from one centre, Kalaburagi, which has come to be known as the epicentre of the scam.

Key mastermind in the case, Divya Hagaragi, who was arrested in April, is accused to have facilitated large scale cheating and fraud at the Kalaburagi exam centre, which she owned.

Read: PSI Recruitment Scam: Key accused Divya Hagaragi arrested

Since then, Congress and BJP leaders have been head-butting and pointing fingers at one another, especially after the CID uncovered the alleged involvement of leaders from both parties in the scam. The arrest count in the case has surpassed 65.

(With PTI Inputs)