Scam accused in Karnataka alleges CID officer took Rs 76 lakh bribe to weaken case | Azad Times

In the ongoing police recruitment scam case in Karnataka, one of the key accused, Rudragouda Pati has accused the investigating officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Shankargowda Patil, of accepting a bribe of Rs 76 lakh. Patil has sent a letter to the Lokayukta, the state's anti-corruption ombudsman, along with an audio recording of a conversation allegedly between the two men.

According to the letter dated January 23, Patil had refused to pay the amount initially demanded (Rs 3 crore) and offered Rs 76 lakh as a compromise. However, the DySP is alleged to have continued to pressure Patil to pay the remaining Rs 2.24 crore and threatened to file multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) against him. Patil has requested legal action against the officer and has sent copies of the letter to several senior officials, including the Additional Director General of Police (CID), the Police Commissioner of Kalaburagi, and the Home Minister.

According to The Hindu, DySP Shankargowda Patil denied the allegations made against him, stating that they are an attempt to undermine his mental well-being and have him removed from the investigation team.

The police recruitment scam, which came to light in 2020, involved several individuals including politicians and bureaucrats, being accused of irregularities in the recruitment process for the post of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI). The scam was uncovered by the state’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and several individuals were arrested. The accused have been charged with various crimes including cheating, forgery, and corruption.

The letter comes after Patil released a video on social media on Saturday, January 21, stating that he is planning to contest in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. He was earlier arrested in April 2022 and was released on conditional bail in December 2022. Since he failed to comply with the  bail conditions, the CID officials on Thursday, January 23 reached his residence with an arrest warrant at around 5.30pm. A team of officials from the Enforcement Directorate also questioned Patil at his residence on the same day. The Karnataka CID has filed a case against Pati at the Ashok Nagar police station in Kalaburagi. According to the CID officers, the accused pushed them away and escaped when they went to his residence to take him into custody.

Read: PSI scam-accused gives CID the slip, releases video stating will contest K’taka poll