The Karnataka High Court on Monday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar to conduct a fresh probe into the alleged KPSC veterinary recruitment scam, taking the investigation away from the CID and giving the new team 100 days to complete it.
Court Establishes Special Investigation Team for Ongoing Case
A court has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to take over a significant case. The SIT will be led by Alok Kumar, currently the Inspector General of Prisons, and will include notable members such as Divya Gopinath, Director of the State Forensic Science Laboratory, as well as Deputy Commissioner of Police Anoop Shetty, Superintendent of Police Kushal Chouksey, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Kshama Mishra.
The court has mandated that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) must transfer all relevant documents and records related to the case to the SIT within one week. Additionally, the state government is required to issue a notification that officially establishes the SIT and grants it the authority equivalent to that of a police station.
In its ruling, the court expressed that while it is not suitable for the CID or local police to continue the investigation, it does not believe that transferring the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is the only option available.
The court will monitor the investigation periodically. The court also made clear that the fresh investigation would not be restricted to the allegations or people already identified in the case. The High Court directed the SIT to cooperate with the ED in its investigation.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, who passed the order on a batch of petitions, including those filed by BJP MLA Basanagouda R Patil Yatnal, the All Karnataka State Students Association and several successful and unsuccessful candidates, directed the SIT to conduct a fresh investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 400 Veterinary Officers in Group A. The SIT must complete the investigation within 100 days and submit a progress report to the High Court every 30 days.
“The investigation shall not be confined to the persons presently named, or the allegations presently made, or the contours presently perceived,” the court said. “The SIT shall extend such cooperation to the ED as well in furtherance of the investigation now directed,” the court said.
