PSI recruitment scam: K'taka govt decides to hold re-exam; main suspect arrested
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Friday said the State government has decided to cancel the alleged scam-tainted examination that was held to recruit 545 police sub-inspectors in the State and hold re-exams, while announcing the arrest of the main accused and other suspects in Pune.
Assuring a fair probe and strict punishment to those involved in the alleged scam, he said the government is also thinking of bringing stricter laws to control such malpractices.
"The main accused in the police recruitment exam scam Divya Hagaragi, along with the others, including Saddam (driver), Suresh and Kalidas (assistants) and Sunanda (worker), have been taken into custody in Pune. They are being inquired and brought to Karnataka," Jnanendra said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said it is clear that malpractices have taken place at several centres, even in Bengaluru. In this backdrop after discussions, the government decided to cancel the exams and hold re-exams, he said.
"Excluding the accused who had taken the exam, the others out of the total 54,289 people who had appeared for the exam will be given an opportunity to take the re-exam," he added.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Karnataka police, probing into the case, has brought Divya Hagaragi, who was said to be associated with the BJP, to Kalaburagi.
Hagaragi was allegedly involved in rigging the recruitment and a written examination was held in October last. Following allegations of irregularities in the test, the government ordered the CID probe.
The alleged irregularities are said to have taken place at Jnana Jyothi English Medium School in Kalaburagi run by Hagaragi, who along with her associates, were at large for the past 18 days after the scam came to light.
Political slugfest also broke out between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress over the delay in Hagaragi's arrest and her alleged links with senior political leaders, also CID issuing a notice to Congress MLA and former Minister Priyank Kharge to appear with evidence to aid the ongoing investigation into the scam.
Stating that jobs for money cannot continue, the Home Minister said such malpractices are taking place in exams for recruitment and it is distressing.
"The government is thinking about bringing stricter laws aimed at protecting the interest of those who genuinely prepare and appear for exams, and to punish those who indulge in malpractices," he added.
The Minister, in response to a question, said there were too many exam centres, which would be reduced, and re-exams held at bigger centres where jammers and new technologies could be used to stop malpractices.
"...Bluetooth was also used (for malpractice), they will all be thoroughly inquired into," he said, adding that thinking is on to change all the exam centres, where the exams were held last time.
Asserting that no one involved in the scam would be spared, be they officers or politicians or businessmen or influential people, he said they would be brought to justice and the truth revealed to the public. "A fair and transparent probe will happen and no one will interfere in the investigation process," he said.
Appealing to candidates not to lose hope and appear for the re-exams with confidence, Jnanendra said, "All measures will be taken to transparently hold the exams, and we are gathering details about how UPSC exams are conducted and won't let negative forces disrupt the exam process."
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
