CID arrests ‘top scorer’, three others in PSI recruitment exam

BENGALURU: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Monday arrested Darshan Gowda, the highest ‘scorer’ in the controversial police sub-inspector (PSI) recruitment scam. Gowda, according to informed sources, had reportedly scored 141 out of 150 marks in the objective section. 

The CID registered three more FIRs and arrested four successful PSI recruits, including Gowda, on June 5 and 6. Gowda was called for questioning last month by the investigating officer (IO). Sources, meanwhile, refuted reports in a section of media that he is related to Minister for Higher Education Dr C N Ashwath Narayan. The CID has so far unearthed two fraudulent methods — tampering of Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets and use of Bluetooth — which were used by candidates to score high marks, reportedly in return for huge payments ranging between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.

‘No leads on money trail’ 

“So far, the CID has not got any leads on the money trail,” said sources. The CID has arrested more than 60 persons, including around 25 candidates, police officials, including two deputy superintendents of police (DySPs) and one police inspector, owners of a school in Kalaburagi and several middlemen, since investigation began into the PSI scam in April. Former police recruitment chief in Karnataka, ADGP Amrit Paul, who is currently posted as ADGP, Internal Security Division (ISD), was on May 25 and 26 questioned by CID in connection with the recruitment scam. He was chief of recruitment when exams were held in October last year.

The government had annulled the PSI recruitment following which some successful candidates went to court. The CID had registered a case on the directions of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra, after some unsuccessful candidates alleged large-scale rigging of the exams.  Kalaburagi was the epicentre of the scam after most of the rankers emerged from one centre run by former BJP leader Divya Hagaragi.