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Recruitment scam: CID books main accused Patil, 11 others under stringent Karnataka law
KCOCA has been applied specifically to those individuals who are implicated in more than one charge sheet related to the malpractices in the recruitment process
Police have invoked the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act (KCOCA) against Rudragowda Devendrappa Patil, the alleged kingpin of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) recruitment scam, and 11 other accused involved in the malpractice, officials familiar with the matter said.
Apart from Patil, Santosh Kottalli, Shivakumara, Sidrama Koli, Ravikumar, Rudragowda, Rahim Choudhary, Sagar, Basanna Poojari, Chandrakantha Burakal, Shashidhara Jamadara, and Basavaraja Yelavara, are facing charges under this stringent law.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has taken this action as part of its ongoing investigation into the KEA recruitment scam, which has resulted in a total of 45 arrests. KCOCA has been applied specifically to those individuals who are implicated in more than one charge sheet related to the malpractices in the recruitment process.
“Out of the 45 people arrested, those who have been booked under KCOCA have been charge-sheeted in more than one case involving such malpractice. This is the reason this act has been slapped against them,” said a senior police officer, wishing not to be named.
The CID has registered eight cases in Kalaburgi and Yadgir districts, relating to malpractices in the examination conducted on October 28, specifically for the recruitment of First Division Assistant (FDA) posts. During the FDA examination, over 20 aspirants were allegedly caught using Bluetooth devices for malpractice, leading to their immediate arrest.
Rudragowda Devendrappa Patil is alleged to be the key accused in both the KEA and PSI recruitment scams. The 11 individuals facing KCOCA charges are accused of assisting him in the recruitment scam that took place in 2021.
Patil had previously been arrested in connection with the PSI recruitment scam, which resulted in the apprehension of more than 100 individuals, including senior IPS officer Amrit Paul, who was then the Additional Director General of Police (Recruitment).
Patil, attempting to evade arrest, remained on the run for several days before being apprehended in Maharashtra in November. His efforts to secure anticipatory bail were unsuccessful prior to his arrest.
KCOCA provides the police with the authority to detain the accused for a maximum of 30 days. Confessions made before designated officials during this period are admissible as evidence. Additionally, the law allows the police to file a charge sheet within 180 days, and the accused individuals are ineligible for bail during this period.
