Not absconding, will appear before CID in PSI recruitment case: Patil

“I am not absconding. This is false news, and no one should get concerned. I will appear soon before you to carry out your service,” accused RD Patil stated in the video on Saturday.

The alleged kingpin in the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam, who escaped when a team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officials visited his house in Kalaburagi city on Thursday, said that he is not absconding and would appear before the officials soon.

The alleged kingpin in the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam said that he is not absconding. (Agencies/Representative use)

“I am not absconding. This is false news, and no one should get concerned. I will appear soon before you to carry out your service,” accused RD Patil stated in the video on Saturday.

In the seven-minute video, shot in an undisclosed location, he said: “If people want, I will become a candidate from Afjalpur constituency and contest elections,” he stated.

“I have been framed in the PSI recruitment scandal. The officers have fixed me following the political pressure. The conspiracy has been hatched by a few who do not want me or my brother to grow politically,” Patil added.

“We will not be scared, even if we are framed in another ten similar cases. I am not absconding. I have not run away from any officer. I have respect for the law of this land. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers have inquired with me from 6 am to 11 pm. I gave complete cooperation for the investigation on Thursday,” he maintained.

“When I left home, the news was planted that I had pushed a CID officer and ran away,” he said.

“I have not claimed earlier anywhere regarding contesting elections. Today I am talking about it. If the people of the constituency want, I will contest from the Afjalpur constituency. Let the blessings of my fans, well-wishers and voters be on my brother Mahantesh Patil,” he said.

CID officials visited Patil’s house in Akkamahadevi layout, which is under the Ashoknagara police station limits in Kalburgi city, to serve him an arrest warrant on Thursday night. However, Patil told the officers that he was innocent and officers were troubling him before fleeing from the backdoor of his house.

A team of CID officers also visited the houses of other accused, Patil’s brother Mahantesh, Jnanajyothi school owner Divya Hagaragi, school principal Kashinatha and Manjunatha and conducted an enquiry till late Thursday night.

The police on Friday registered a fresh case against Patil in the PSI examination scam after CID inspector Anand filed a complaint with Ashokanagara police.

According to the police, Patil violated the bail conditions by avoiding CID enquiry. According to the bail condition, the accused should be available for enquiry at all times and should not change the mobile number. However, when CID officers called his number, it was switched off, and he was not available at his house.

“Accused RD Patil was booked under IPC 353 (obstructing duty of official) and 224 (resistance for arrest) for obstructing to discharge of the duty of a government officer,” Kalburgi police commissioner R Chetan said. A case has been registered at Ashokanagara police station, and the police are investigating it, he added.

The PSI scam pertains to the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of sub-inspectors, which triggered a political storm in the state.

Till July 7, at least 65 people including additional director general of police Amrit Paul, deputy superintendents of police, inspectors, a few other police personnel, BJP leader Divya Hagaragi, who owned the Jnana Jyothi English Medium School in Kalaburagi and the gunman of a Congress MLA have been arrested. All the accused were released on bail. R D Patil also got bail and was released on December 18 from jail on the order of the high court.

On July 4 last year, the additional director general of police (ADGP), recruitment, Amrit Paul, was arrested. He is the highest-ranking police officer arrested in the case and is currently in judicial custody.

On April 29 last year, the Karnataka government handed over the case to the Criminal Investigation Department.

According to police, two gangs were operating in Kalaburagi. The first gang, which included BJP leader Divya Hagargi, involved answer sheet tampering using invigilators, while the second gang, run by Rudragouda Patil, operated using Bluetooth devices.

A senior officer said the Bluetooth devices used were specialised equipment purchased specifically for this task and were different from the audio devices available in the market. They were small enough to fit inside someone’s ear with any part of it visible from the outside. These devices had a transmitter which accommodated a SIM card. The transmitter was stitched inside the shirts worn by the candidates.