BENGALURU: Mysuru JDS state president and Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy on Friday levelled serious allegations of large-scale irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission’s (KPSC) recruitment of Assistant Executive Engineer Grade-I posts, claiming the process was compromised during Congress leader Priyank Kharge’s tenure as minister for rural development and panchayat raj. He demanded that Kharge, now home minister, take responsibility and resign immediately.
At a press conference, Kumaraswamy alleged that a “Priyank-sponsored system” is operating in the state. “This is a case of the watchdog turning into the perpetrator. Perhaps, this is why Priyank Kharge has now taken charge of the home portfolio, to ensure that the entire matter is buried,” he claimed. Kumaraswamy released, what he claimed, were investigation records and OMR sheets showing evidence of tampering using carbon paper.
He said a forensic examination established that irregularities occurred in the selection of 24 candidates, and that OMR sheets had been tampered with. A sub-committee reviewing the case found discrepancies, issued notices to all the 24 candidates — of whom 20 appeared before the panel — and referred the OMR sheets, along with CCTV footage sought from the DPR, for forensic analysis.
He alleged that despite these findings, Kharge pushed through the appointments. On Kharge, Kumaraswamy said, “He says, ‘We are the ones who make the law.’ On one hand, he makes grand statements about RSS and abolishing KPSC, while on the other, he is protecting IAS officer Gyanendra Gangwar (the then controller of examinations), who is facing allegations over recruitment irregularities.”
He also questioned the circumstances leading to Gangwar’s disappearance after Enforcement Directorate searches. He pointed to alleged inconsistencies in Kharge’s statements about the officer’s whereabouts. He claimed that Kharge had earlier said Gangwar had gone to Lucknow with government permission because of his father’s illness and was expected back within days.
But later on August 25, Kharge said he did not know where the officer was. “If the home minister does not know where an officer is, then why is he running the Home Department,” Kumaraswamy asked. He alleged that irregularities have extended to the recruitment of 400 veterinary off i c e r s too. He c i t ed a complainant’s claim that posts were being priced at Rs 80 lakh each.
The officer concerned in that case too has gone missing after ED registered a case, he added. Kumaraswamy said the Karnataka High Court directed the government to hand over the matter to the CBI, but an FIR is yet to be registered in the case.
He alleged that a provisional candidate list had been finalised by the then KPSC secretary without approval of the chairman and members. The government should identify who was responsible and who allegedly received kickbacks, he said. The Union minister said he will release additional documents in the coming days.