Bengaluru, Sep 24 (IANS) The Karnataka government is set to challenge in the Supreme Court the High Court order directing the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with specific officers chosen by the court to be appointed to the team, to probe alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Veterinary Officer recruitment.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government had no objection to an SIT investigation but questioned the direction to appoint particular officers.
“We have no objection to the formation of an SIT, but directing the government to appoint specific officers sends the wrong message,” Shivakumar had said.
However, the BJP on Thursday questioned the government’s decision and sought to know why it was opposed to the court-monitored investigation.
The state government has decided to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) challenging the High Court’s September 21 order constituting a five-member SIT headed by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar. The decision was taken after the government consulted legal experts and raised objections to the appointment of specific officers to the team and accused the court of judicial overreach.
Under the High Court’s order, the SIT has been directed to conduct a fresh investigation into the alleged irregularities and complete the probe within 100 days. The CID, which was earlier investigating the case, has been directed to hand over the relevant documents and investigation material to the SIT.
The government has questioned the need for a fresh probe, maintaining that the CID investigation is already around 80 per cent complete. It has pointed out that arrests have been made, evidence and documents collected, money seized and technical evidence, including CCTV footage, examined.
The government has also raised objections to the High Court directing the appointment of specific officers to the SIT.
The High Court’s order is also expected to examine alleged irregularities in other KPSC examinations, including KAS and Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) recruitment, conducted during the period when Gyanendra Kumar was serving as the KPSC Controller.
The wider scope of the investigation could bring several recruitment processes conducted over the past three-four years under scrutiny.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka questioned the government’s decision to approach the Supreme Court.
“Why is the government so afraid of the SIT appointed by the High Court? Who are you appealing to the Supreme Court to protect?” Ashoka asked in a statement.
Ashoka alleged that the government was attempting to prevent the truth about the KPSC Veterinary Officer recruitment case from emerging.
“If your ministers, MLAs and leaders have done nothing wrong, why this fear of an SIT?” he asked.
The BJP leader also questioned why the government was challenging the High Court-ordered investigation when the CID had already been probing the case.
Ashoka alleged that an investigation under the supervision of the High Court could bring out the involvement, if any, of influential political leaders, ministers and alleged middlemen in the recruitment process. He urged the government to cooperate with the SIT rather than challenge its constitution.
The BJP leader also said the alleged recruitment irregularities had affected the future of job aspirants and called for an independent investigation into the matter.
The High Court had ordered a fresh investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 400 Veterinary Officers and constituted the five-member SIT headed by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar. The team was directed to submit progress reports every 30 days and complete the investigation within 100 days.
The allegations in the recruitment case include claims of question-paper leakage, payments for selection, involvement of middlemen and manipulation of examination records. These allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established as criminal guilt against all persons alleged to be involved.
–IANS
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