PSI recruitment scam: Karnataka govt suspends IPS officer Amrit Paul; CM Basavaraj Bommai takes jibe at Congress

Taking a jibe at the Congress party, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the grand old party would have covered up the arrests of ADGP Amrit Paul and IAS officer J Manjunath in the PSI recruitment scam case and bribery case respectively.

Image courtesy: ANI

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government suspended IPS officer Amrit Paul after he was arrested by CID for his alleged role in the PSI recruitment scam case. IAS officer J Manjunath, former DC of Bengaluru Urban was also suspended by the Karnataka government after he was arrested by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in a bribery case. Manjunath was arrested by the ACB, four days after he was transferred from the post of Bengaluru urban district deputy commissioner (DC). Manjunath is facing allegations of collecting bribes through his staff to settle a land dispute.

Earlier on Monday, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai took a jibe at the Congress party and said that the grand old party would have covered up the arrests of ADGP Amrit Paul and IAS officer J Manjunath in the PSI recruitment scam case and bribery case respectively. 

Karnataka Govt on Monday,July 4 suspended IPS officer Amrit Paul after he was arrested by CID for his alleged role in the PSI recruitment scam case

Karnataka Govt also suspended IAS officer J Manjunath, former DC of Bengaluru Urban, after he was arrested by ACB in a bribery case pic.twitter.com/7m9A89Fhke

— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2022

He had lauded his government for taking prompt action in the two cases. While talking to ANI, Bommai had said, "Our government unearthed the whole case. CID was given a free hand to investigate the case and spare none. ADGP who was heading the recruitment arrested after proof was found against him."

"Similarly, in another case, an IAS officer (J Manjunath) has been arrested. We`re not here to protect anyone. If someone has done wrong, then action will be taken...If the Congress government would have been there then they would have covered up the whole case," he had added.

The PSI scam case is related to the irregularities in the appointment of police sub-inspectors in the state. MLA and former Minister Priyank Kharge had earlier alleged a huge scam in the PSI recruitment of more than 545 candidates and pointed at the involvement of the government and officials in the matter.

Notably, on May 12, Karnataka Minister for Higher Education CN Ashwath Narayan announced that the state government was investigating the PSI scam and had assured that the people involved with it would be exposed.

On April 29, the Karnataka government decided to cancel the results of the police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment exam following allegations of corruption. The government had stated that a fresh exam will be re-conducted and the dates for which will be announced soon. Meanwhile, Jnanendra had informed that the Crime Investigation Team (CID) had arrested the main accused of the PSI scam, BJP leader Divya Hagaragi and four others in the case. Divya, who was absconding in the case, was arrested from Pune.