BENGALURU: Stung by the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam, the State Government on Wednesday transferred Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Recruitment, Amrit Paul and posted him as ADGP, Internal Security Division (ISD), with immediate effect in place of ADGP, ISD, Arun J Chakravarthy.
In place of Paul, Additional Director General of Police, Crime & Technical Services R Hithendra has been posted as ADGP, Recruitment. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Home Minister Araga Jnanendra have come under severe criticism from the Opposition for the alleged wide-scale fraud in the PSI recruitment, which is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to unconfirmed sources, money ranging between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh was allegedly demanded from candidates for PSI recruitment. Retired IPS officers of Karnataka cadre rued the state of affairs and recalled how Police Sub-Inspectorrecruitment in Karnataka was once a model of transparency and best practices in the country.
“The then Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde was invited to review the recruitment process of constables and PSIs and point out at the lacunae,” said a former IPS officer, who had headed police recruitment.
“Police recruitment should be transparent because corruption begins with paying money to don the khaki.
There should be a third party audit of recruitment,” said the officers, who didn’t wished to be named.
The Criminal Investigation Department has so far arrested 17 persons, including some successful PSI recruits.
Divya Hagaragi, president of Jnana Jyothi English Medium School in Kalaburagi, which was the examination centre, is still said to be absconding. She had applied for anticipatory bail. Her husband - Rajesh -has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in the scam.