Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 23 (ANI): The Karnataka government has decided to challenge the High Court’s order directing the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Veterinary Officer recruitment case, before the Supreme Court.
The State Government and the Prosecution Department have granted prior sanction and issued an official order approving the Law Department’s proposal to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the High Court order.
With the approval in place, the State government is expected to file an appeal petition before the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s directive as early as Thursday (September 24).
Several petitioners, including complainant Manjunath and BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, had filed Public Interest Litigations (PILs) before the High Court alleging large-scale irregularities in the Veterinary Officer recruitment conducted by the KPSC and had sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
After hearing the matter, the Dharwad Bench of the High Court, comprising Justice M Nagaprasanna, on September 21, ordered the formation of a high-level SIT instead of transferring the probe to the CBI.
The court constituted a five-member SIT headed by senior IPS officer and DGP Alok Kumar. The team includes IPS officers Divya Gopinath, Anoop Shetty, Kushal Choksi and Kshama Mishra.
The High Court directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is currently investigating the case, to hand over all documents and investigation-related details to the newly constituted SIT within one week.
The SIT has been asked to complete a comprehensive investigation within 100 days and submit a final report.
The court further directed that the investigation be carried out in accordance with 17 stringent guidelines laid down by it. It also ordered the SIT to submit progress reports of the probe to the High Court in a sealed cover every 30 days.
The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for January 17, 2027. (ANI)
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