Follow us on Google News
The Karnataka High Court has appointed IPS officer R Hitendra to lead the SIT investigating two alleged KPSC recruitment scams.
Why Was the SIT Reconstituted?
The Karnataka High Court on Monday reconstituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating two alleged recruitment fraud cases involving the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), replacing its earlier leadership following objections raised by the state government.
Senior IPS officer R Hitendra will head the team, while Additional Director General of Police Soumendu Mukherjee has been appointed its second senior officer. They replace IPS officers Alok Kumar and Dr Divya Gopinath. The remaining members, Anup Shetty, Kushal Chouksey and Kshama Mishra, will continue.
Justice M Nagaprasanna emphasised that restructuring the team was intended to ensure an independent investigation rather than merely changing its leadership.
The court also directed that officers associated with the earlier Criminal Investigation Department (CID) investigations must not be inducted into the SIT as assisting personnel.
What Did the Court Say About Independence?
The High Court stressed that the SIT must conduct its investigation without institutional or external interference.
It also clarified that investigations by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the SIT should proceed independently within their respective statutory jurisdictions while maintaining cooperation.
The bench directed the ED to submit progress reports in accordance with its September 21 order, emphasising that the two investigations should complement each other rather than compete over jurisdiction.
The court said the reconstituted SIT must inspire public confidence and maintain credibility throughout the investigation.
Why Did the Supreme Court Intervene?
The reconstitution follows the Supreme Court’s October 13 ruling on the Karnataka government’s challenge to the High Court’s September 21 order directing a fresh investigation.
The government had questioned the appointment of DGP-rank officer Alok Kumar without consulting the state police chief or the government. It also argued that the High Court had ordered another investigation despite finding no fault with the CID’s ongoing probe.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitution of the SIT but set aside the direction for a fresh investigation. Instead, it ordered the team to continue from the stage at which the previous investigating agency had stopped.
It also permitted the High Court to replace SIT members while allowing the state government to suggest alternative names.
What Are the Allegations in the KPSC Cases?
One case concerns the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers through KPSC. Investigators alleged that 29 of the 329 selected candidates paid between ₹20 lakh and ₹40 lakh each to obtain examination questions and answers.
The second case concerns the alleged illegal selection of suspended KPSC chairman Shivashankrappa Sahukar’s daughter for a government position.
The CID investigation led to the arrests of former KPSC examination controller Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, IAS officer, and middleman Basavaraj Kannale over alleged examination leaks.
Separately, the ED arrested Sahukar and KPSC member B V Geetha on October 6 in a money laundering investigation. The agency alleged that they collected ₹30 lakh to leak answers to two candidates who subsequently secured the first and third ranks.
The CID is expected to file its chargesheet in the veterinary officers’ recruitment case by November 26. Its investigation has remained stalled since the High Court’s September 21 order amid uncertainty over the SIT’s leadership and investigative scope.
