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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15 IAS officers transferred in Haryana
Chandigarh (PTI): The Haryana government transferred 15 IAS officers with immediate effect on Wednesday.
Among those who have been transferred are Vineet Garg, Chairman, Haryana State Pollution Control Board. He has been posted as the additional chief secretary to the government's printing and stationery department, relieving Raja Shekhar Vundru of the charge, a government order said.
Ajay Kumar, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, has been transferred and posted as the deputy principal secretary-II to the chief minister against a newly-created post.
Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Water Resources Department, has been posted as the principal secretary in the architecture department, relieving Apporva Kumar Singh of the charge.
Saket Kumar, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner and Secretary, Development and Panchayats Department, has been transferred and posted as the commissioner and secretary in the archives department, relieving Shekhar Vidyarthi of the charge.
Mani Ram Sharma, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, has been posted as the secretary in the health department, relieving Rippudaman Singh Dhillon of the charge.
