'I am consulting legally to shut down KPSC, thieves are stationed there': Karnataka CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, on Tuesday said his government was considering legal options to shut down the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), following the Karnataka High Court's decision to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged veterinary officer recruitment scam.

Taking an indirect swipe at the BJP while speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, CM Shivakumar said the investigation had uncovered evidence of illegal activities involving people associated with the KPSC and questioned who had appointed them and who was operating the alleged network.

“KPSC should be shut down. There are many thieves there who are involved in illegal activities. Our police have caught them and gathered evidence. We have to find out who appointed them and who operated this,” CM Shivakumar said.

He said the government would have to follow the legally prescribed procedure before taking any decision on the future of the commission.

“We have to think legally. The way action is initiated against the President of India or High Court judges, has a procedure. Similarly, action has to be initiated according to the procedure here. That is why we are thinking legally,” he said.

CM Shivakumar said the government was concerned about protecting the future of students and job aspirants.

“For us, the future of our children is important,” he said.

Referring to the functioning of the KPSC, Shivakumar said the number of commission members had been reduced from 16 during the tenure of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

He said the government could appoint people with the intention of ensuring transparency, but action becomes difficult if those appointed later indulge in wrongdoing.

“No matter how transparently we work, if the people we appoint indulge in such acts, what can be done? We appoint them, but if officers themselves indulge in such activities, leave alone the KPSC members who had opened their shops, this is a big issue,” he said.

Shivakumar also referred to his tenure as Power Minister and said he had ensured vigilance while recruiting employees to the power sector.

“I was the Power Minister and appointed 23,000 linemen and others. I was highly vigilant and did not give room for such things,” he said.

The Chief Minister said he was examining how the KPSC could be dealt with within the legal framework.

Earlier, the CID submitted its report on progress of the investigation into the KPSC recruitment case, to the Karnataka government and also to the trial court. The CID report details the money trail, involvement of middlemen including arrested BJP leader Basavaraj Kannale and the role of officials in manipulating the recruitment process.

The Karnataka High Court also recently ordered the constitution of an SIT to investigate alleged irregularities in the KPSC. The investigation is expected to examine allegations of manipulation in the recruitment process and the role of officials, candidates and intermediaries.

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