Former CM Basavaraj Bommai says chargesheet has already been filed in PSI recruitment scam

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 22 (ANI): After the Karnataka government appointed a judicial commission to probe allegations of large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of 545  (PSI), former Chief Minister of the state Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said that they are going to the commission in a case in which its chargesheet has already been filed.
“I don't know what is the thinking of the government. PSI scam was ordered by CID. And already Chargesheet has been filed. Once again they’re going to the judiciary commission. All the matter is also in the court. So it’s for the legal experts to decide,” Bommai said while talking to ANI.
Karnataka government has appointed a judicial commission under retired High Court Justice B Veerappa to probe allegations of large-scale irregularities in the recruitment of 545 police sub-inspectors (PSI).
Justice Veerappa, who retired on May 31, was known as a fearless judge. He headed a bench that abolished the Anti-Corruption Bureau, restoring powers of the Lokayukta.
In an order instituting the Commission of Inquiry, the Home Department has asked Justice Veerappa to conclude the probe and submit a report to the government in three months.
The Congress had strongly taken on the then BJP government over alleged irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of 545 PSIs. It was one of its major ammunitions against the BJP during the campaign for the Assembly polls.
The PSI recruitment scam broke out last year when the then BJP government ordered a CID probe following allegations that the exam results were manipulated.
After the results were out, there were allegations of cheating, and corrupt practices in the said examination, due to which the Government of Karnataka ordered for investigation into the matter.
The Karnataka Police Recruitment Cell conducted an examination for filling up 545 vacancies of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) in the Karnataka Police Department in the year 2021.
Based on the same, various FIRs were registered against candidates, middlemen and police officials involved in the irregularities observed in the PSI Recruitment Examination, 2021 in Bangalore and Kalaburagi which were later transferred to CID for investigation.
CID, Bengaluru had conducted searches at various premises and has arrested Amrit Paul, IPS and around 100 other persons in this case.
During the CID investigation, it was observed that there was tampering with the OMR sheet in the strong room of the Recruitment Cell at CID headquarters Carlton House, Bangalore.
Police Officers, in charge of a strong room of the recruitment cell, switched off the CCTV camera at the Strong room, 2-Armed Head Constables entered the strong room and tampered with the OMR sheet. Further, Police officials collected money from candidates to facilitate their selection using illegal means.
Based on the FIRs, ED registered Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on August 4 this year for the alleged money laundering offence.
So far, 110 people have been arrested in connection with the scam, including 52 candidates who wrote the exam.
These 52 candidates have been barred from participating in any police recruitment. (ANI)