PSI recruitment scam: Opposition trying to mislead probe, says Karnataka Home Minister Jnanendra
Kalaburagi (K'taka)(PTI): Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Friday said the opposition is desperately trying to mislead the investigation into the police sub-inspector recruitment scam with their statements as "their involvement is coming to the fore".
He was replying to a query on Congress leader Siddaramaiah's allegation at a press conference on Thursday that the size of the scam was around Rs 300 crore.
"Former chief minister Siddaramaiah has got the freedom of speech. He can say Rs 200 crore, Rs 300 crore or Rs 3,000 crore but he runs away when we ask him to furnish the proof he has. Priyank Kharge (Congress MLA) doesn't come even after a notice was served to him (to appear before the CID)," Jnanendra told reporters here.
The Congress stalwart had also demanded a judicial probe saying that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was not competent to investigate the matter given the alleged involvement of police officers, ministers and top politicians in the scam.
Jnanendra charged that the Congress leaders were only trying to mislead the investigation.
"In the given circumstances, the only thing they know is to mislead the direction of the investigation. It's nothing but some Congress leaders who are trapped. Their involvement is coming to fore, due to which they are giving such statements," the Home Minister said.
He charged that Congress leaders have also resorted to defaming "our upright (Higher Education) minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan". The Home Minister said the government was ensuring the investigation is done independently without any influence.
"Let Congress leaders talk whatever they want. We will get it investigated properly. We will go to the root cause of the issue. We will make sure that those involved in the wrongdoings in the PSI recruitment scam should think twice before indulging in such practices in future," Jnanendra said.
Congress' Karnataka unit chief D K Shivakumar had earlier this week suspected the involvement of Dr Ashwath Narayan's relative in the scam, which the latter rubbished saying these were baseless allegations as part of a smear campaign against him.
Meanwhile, former Bengaluru police commissioner and Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhaskar Rao said the ruling BJP has been maintaining that such scams had taken place during the Congress regime as well instead of taking action against those bigwigs who are involved in the scam.
The allegations and counter allegations are only to silence people and make them forget the issue after some time, Rao said at a press conference on Friday in Bengaluru.
He said if a former chief minister of the state is saying that the size of the scam is Rs 300 crore then that should be investigated.
"If a former chief minister's statement has no value, then will the government respect the statements of a common man? All that the government has done is transferring an additional director general of police. If the ADGP opens his mouth, then both the political parties will land in soup," Rao told reporters.
The government has annulled the PSI recruitment exam after large-scale irregularities came to the fore.
Over 35 people including a BJP leader Divya Hagargi, the principal of a college in Kalaburagi, a few police officers, and the gunman of a Congress MLA have been arrested in connection with the case.
The exam was conducted in October last year to fill up 545 posts and over 54,000 people had written it. It is alleged that Rs 75 lakh was collected from a few candidates by middlemen.
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SC dismisses plea seeking implementation of NEP in Tamil Nadu, other states
New Delhi, May 11 (PTI): The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the West Bengal governments to implement the National Education Policy, including its three-language formula.
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan said the top court could not issue such directions to state governments.
"The Supreme Court, through Article 32 of the Constitution, can issue directives to ensure that the fundamental rights of citizens are protected. It cannot directly compel a state to adopt a policy like the National Education Policy, 2020," the bench said in an order passed on Friday.
"The court may, however, intervene if a state's action or inaction related to the National Education Policy violates any fundamental rights or any other legal rights. We do not propose to examine this issue in this writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution," it added.
The petitioner has nothing to do with the cause he proposes to espouse, the top court further said.
"Although he may be from the state of Tamil Nadu, yet, on his own admission, he is now residing in New Delhi. The main issue may be examined by this court in an appropriate proceeding but at least not in this particular petition," the bench said.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate GS Mani seeking directions to implement the National Education Policy, 2020.
