Bengaluru: The Supreme Court has allowed the Karnataka government to seek a change in the leadership of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam. The team was constituted following directions from the Karnataka High Court and is headed by Deputy General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar, with Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Divya Gopinath also serving on the team.
The state government had approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s order concerning the investigation team. During the hearing, the bench heard extensive arguments from the government and lawyers representing candidates connected with the recruitment process.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the state, submitted that there were concerns regarding Alok Kumar’s appointment as the SIT chief because of past allegations relating to phone tapping. He told the court that details concerning the officer’s case history had been submitted for consideration.
Sibal said the government had prepared a list of five officers who could be considered for the investigation team. The names included IG-rank officers Labhu Ram and Chetan Singh Rathore. The government sought to replace the existing officers with a new team to oversee the sensitive investigation.
The move was strongly opposed by lawyers representing the candidates. They maintained that Alok Kumar had already been cleared in the phone-tapping case and questioned why the government was now raising the issue. They also noted that the state government had promoted him to the DGP rank and recommended him for the President’s Medal.
Govt accused of recruiting officer suiting their preferences
The candidates’ lawyers alleged that the government was attempting to appoint officers who would suit its preferences. Stating that they did not have confidence in the state government, they urged the Supreme Court to hand over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
After hearing the rival submissions, the Supreme Court permitted the state government to propose replacements for Alok Kumar and Divya Gopinath. It directed the government to submit the names of new officers to the High Court, which will finalise the appointments.
The order marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the KPSC recruitment scam. The choice of officers to lead the SIT remains central to the dispute between the government and the candidates seeking a credible investigation.
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