Karnataka government has set up a 3-member committee to oversee the police investigation into the alleged assistant professors’ recruitment scam during the BJP regime.
The committee comprises Additional Chief Secretary of the government, Additional Chief Secretary to the Department of Home, and Principal Secretary to Law Department. This committee has been directed to review the police investigation report and submit a report to the government within the next three months.
On September 30, 2021, Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA) had issued a notice for recruitment of 1,242 candidates for the post of assistant professors in various government first grade colleges. The competitive examination was conducted from March 12 to 16, 2022 in seven different centres across Karnataka, including Bengaluru. The merit list was announced on October 10, 2022.
How did the alleged illegality happen?
A person named Ramakrishna had complained to the KEA alleging that a candidate, Sowmya, had leaked some questions in geography. Based on the complaint, KEA conducted an internal investigation. Sowmya did not co-operate properly with the investigation. The KEA lodged a complaint at Malleswaram police station.
The police questioned H. Nagaraj, who was the head of the team that prepared the geography question paper, and also the registrar of Dharwad University (Evaluation). Mr. Nagaraj was also Sowmya’s Ph.D research guide.
After the inquiry, Prof. Nagaraj and Sowmya were arrested by the Malleswaram police, and a case was registered.
At present, the trial is under way in court. Results of all three candidates allegedly involved in the case have been withheld.
OMR sheets of all the candidates who appeared for the examination and details of the shortlisted candidates have been submitted for police investigation. After an investigation lasting around six months, a report was submitted to KEA on June 19, 2023.
KEA stated that there was no examination malpractice, except in the case of Sowmya. The KEA requested setting up a three-member committee to review the report submitted by the police.
S. Ramya, Executive Director of KEA, told The Hindu, “The police questioned all the accused persons in detail, and submitted a report. They did not recommend any punishment. Therefore, we requested the government to review the police report. A three-member committee has been constituted. After the committee gives its report, the government will take an appropriate decision.”
