The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Karnataka High Court order directing the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to conduct a fresh investigation into two recruitment irregularities linked to the Karnataka Public Service Commission. A bench comprising Justices Manoj Mishra and Vijay Bishnoi intervened after the state government challenged the September 21 order, submitting that the Criminal Investigation Department was already investigating the matters and that its probe was nearing completion without any demonstrated defects.
State Challenges High Court Directive
Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing the state government, argued that the High Court ordered a de novo inquiry without pointing to any adverse findings or lapses in the ongoing CID probe. The state maintained that replacing the investigating agency at an advanced stage was unjustified, especially in the absence of mala fide allegations against the current investigators. The government also raised objections over the High Court selecting specific police officers for the proposed SIT without prior consultation with the state administration.
Concerns Over De Novo Inquiry
Observing that forming an SIT is not inherently improper when senior officials are implicated in an apparent pattern, the bench noted that ordering a fresh investigation risks wiping out the substantial progress already achieved by the CID. The court also highlighted potential risks to existing records and evidence if case files were abruptly transferred to a new team. While leaving the final decision on a fresh probe open, the bench directed the state to submit any objections to the selected officers in a sealed cover before the next hearing, permitting the government to propose alternative names.
Allegations Under CID Investigation
The two cases under scrutiny involve severe recruitment malpractice across state departments. The first centers on an alleged question paper leak during the selection process for 400 veterinary doctors. The CID has arrested former KPSC examination controller Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who allegedly leaked question papers to roughly 20 candidates through a middleman charging between ₹20 lakh and ₹40 lakh each. Investigators found that approximately ₹52 lakh of the bribe money purchased jewellery, while 29 candidates secured high rankings despite mediocre academic records in veterinary colleges. The second case concerns the appointment of the daughter of suspended KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar, who allegedly used a fabricated income certificate showing family earnings of ₹40,000 to secure an Industrial Extension Officer post under the OBC category.
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