KPSC: Karnataka High Court orders SIT probe into recruitment irregularities

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered the formation of an SIT to investigate irregularities by the Karnataka Public Service Commission in the recruitment of veterinary doctors. While hearing a batch of petitions, Justice M Nagaprasanna directed the formation of the SIT headed by Director General of Police (Prisons) Alok Kumar, handover of evidence from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the jurisdictional police to the SIT.

Apart from Alok Kumar, the SIT will have Forensic Science Laboratory director Divya Gopinath, who is an Inspector General of Police rank officer, DCPs Anup Shetty and Shama Mishra, and Superintendent of Police Kushal Chouksay.

The bench further directed co-operation between departments, investigation agencies, and public authorities to assist the SIT. The court has directed the SIT to submit a report of investigation within 100 days of commencement of investigation and a progress report for every 30 days.

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KPSC recruitment for veterinary doctors

The investigation shall not be confined to the persons presently named, the allegations presently made or the contours presently perceived, the court said. "If the evidence gathered during investigation reveals involvement of any other person, offence, transaction or act, having a nexus with the subject matter of investigation, the SIT shall follow the evidence wherever it leads, strictly in accordance with law," Justice Nagaprasanna ordered.

The SIT can seek forensic, cyber, financial, technical or other specialised assistance for an effective investigation. "The SIT shall conduct the investigation independently, impartially and uninfluenced by any observation made in this order on the merits of the allegations," the judge said.

The court directed the state government to issue a notification declaring the SIT now constituted, to be a police station for the purposes of investigation. The bench categorically said, "No officer or authority, save in accordance with law, shall interfere with, impede or otherwise influence the course of investigation entrusted to the SIT."

Advocate Girish Bharadwaj and Venkatesh Dalwai were among the advocates for the petitioners, who demanded a fair investigation into the irregularities.

The KPSC had been under scrutiny after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot suspended its chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, following allegations that he allegedly facilitated the illegal selection of his two daughters as Industrial Extension Officers. While Sahukar is 'missing', the registrar of the KPSC Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, an IAS officer, was arrested along with a middleman Basavaraj Kannale.