PSI recruitment scam: Siddaramaiah demands Karnataka Home Minister's resignation

A day after the Karnataka government announced its decision to annul the alleged scam-tainted examination held to recruit 545 police sub-inspectors in the state and hold re-exams, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the BJP-led dispensation has acknowledged the scam and demanded the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra.

Seeking an impartial probe, in a series of tweets, he said the investigation should be monitored by a sitting High Court judge.

”Home Minister Araga Jnanendra has acknowledged the scam in the 545 PSI recruitment exam and cancelled the process. On what moral grounds can he continue as Home Minister? He should immediately resign for an impartial investigation to continue,” Siddaramaiah said.

Alleging that Jnanendra thinks his main duty is to protect corrupt, murderers and rapists, he said, ”Our Police department cannot run under this fake and inefficient Chowkidar.” If the PSI exam is re-conducted under the inefficient Home minister, it will not be a surprise if the new incoming PSIs are also inefficient and corrupt, he added.

The state government on Friday decided to annul the examination that was held in October last year to recruit 545 police sub-inspectors in the State, and hold re-exams.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Karnataka police, probing into the case, arrested main suspect Divya Hagaragi, who was said to be associated with the BJP, and her associates in Pune and brought them to Kalaburagi on Friday.

Seeking Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s clarification on the decision taken by the government to re-conduct the exam, Siddaramaiah asked, ”Has it been proven in the CID investigation? If Yes, why has the government not released the report yet?” ”Is the decision to re-conduct the 545 PSI exam an attempt to ensure justice to honest candidates? Or an attempt to save the big brains behind the scam?” he further questioned.

”When the whole Karnataka BJP government is corrupt, we have no confidence that the PSI scam investigation by CID will be fair and impartial. The investigation should be monitored by a sitting High Court judge,” the former CM said.