Karnataka Police SI recruitment 'scam': ED searches premises of jailed IPS officer, others
New Delhi, Nov 11: The ED on Friday said it has searched the premises of jailed IPS officer Amrit Paul, some government officials and private persons in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the police sub-inspector recruitment "scam" in Karnataka in 2021.
The federal investigative agency said the operation, undertaken on Thursday at 11 premises in Bengaluru and Patiala in Punjab, led to the "discovery and seizure of various incriminating records and electronic gadgets."
The residential premises of Paul were also covered, it said.
The alleged scam pertains to the Karnataka Police recruitment cell conducting an examination last year for filling up 545 vacancies of sub-inspectors in the state police department.
"After the results were out, there were allegations of cheating, corrupt practices in the said examination, due to which the Karnataka government ordered an investigation into the matter," the Enforcement Directorate said.
The probe was taken over by the CID wing of the Bengaluru Police which became the basis for the ED complaint that was registered under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Various FIRs were filed by the police against candidates, middlemen and police officials in Bengaluru and Kalaburagi.
The police later conducted searches at various premises and arrested Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Paul and more than 100 people, including aspirants who allegedly paid money to get selected, in this case.
Paul was the head of the police recruitment cell, as its additional director general (recruitment), when the alleged irregularities took place.
"During CID investigation, it was observed that there was tampering of OMR sheets in the strong room of the recruitment cell at CID headquarters, Carlton House, Bengaluru.
"Police officers, in-charge of the strong room of recruitment cell, switched off the CCTV cameras and two armed head constables entered the strong room and tampered with the OMR sheet. The police officials collected money from candidates for facilitating their selection using illegal means," the agency said.
The police sub-inspector recruitment drive started in October 2021 to fill 545 posts and 54,041 people wrote the exam.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
