Bengaluru, April 25 (Bureau) The Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Monday summoned Congress MLA and former IT Minister Priyank Kharge to appear before its officer and share information and documents related to PSI recruitment scam in Karnataka. Kharge had recently released an audio clip wherein a conversation between a selected candidate and a middleman is heard. In the clipping, the middleman is heard saying that no one will be apprehended as everyone is involved. Taking cognisance of the clipping, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the matter would be thoroughly probed and action taken against the guilty. Kharge had alleged that the PSI test was held in October under the supervision of ADGP who is accused of protecting the offender. He had demanded transfer of the ADGP to another department or sent on leave until the investigation is completed and also resignation of the Home Minister. After the results were announced for PSI examination, some of the aspirants had alleged irregularities that encouraged Congress to launch a protest against the scam.
Under pressure, the Home Minister Araga Jnanendra ordered a CID probe and during the investigation, it arrested Veeresh, son of a head constable attached to Sedam police station in Kalaburagi district. Though he had answered only 21 multiple-choice questions, he secured 100 marks. He was taken to Bengaluru for interrogation. Further investigation found a BJP worker guilty of the malpractice taking place at Jnana Jyothi English Medium School, owned by BJP leader Divya Hagaragi on Monday. The CID sleuths arrested Divya’s husband Rajesh Hagaragi after the raids at the school. However, BJP denied that Divya was a leader of their party. Further investigations led to CID arresting a couple of Congress leaders in Kalaburagi. Last Friday, Congress block president Mahanthesh Patil was arrested in this connection, putting the main opposition party in deep embarrassment. Patil is alleged to have demanded a bribe of Rs 70-80 lakh from candidates to rig the evaluation of the PSI recruitment exam by giving them more marks, helping their names appear in merit lists. The Congress worker’s arrest came a day after the CID arrested a gunman posted with Afzal Congress MLA MY Patil.