Karnataka: Congress demands BJP MP Umesh Jadav be named PSI paper leak scam accused

Belagavi: The Congress on Thursday said Kalaburagi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Umesh Jadav must be named as an accused of police sub-inspector (PSI) entrance examination question paper leak as he met key accused Divya Hagaragi and also visited the residence of the kingpin RD Patil a day ago.

On Wednesday, Jadav met Hagaragii, who was recently granted conditional bail after spending 200 days in jail, and sought support from her and also posted photos with her on social media. In the evening, he had also allegedly visited Patil’s residence and had food along with the family.

RD Patil, is currently in jail for leaking question papers of several job entrance examinations, including the PSI recruitment. He contested unsuccessfully as an independent candidate in the last assembly election from Afzalpur constituency in Kalaburagi district.

Reacting to his move, Kalaburagi district Congress president Jagadish Guttedar said, “The MP’s visit to the examination scam kingpin RD Patil’s family and meeting another prime accused, Divya Hagaragi, are solid proof that he indirectly supported the examination malpractices for which he must be considered an accused and interrogated to uncover the truth further. The government must take his spending time with PSI accused RD Patil’s family seriously and also interrogate him to reveal further details.”

Defending his visit to Patil’s family, Jadav said, “As part of the campaign, I visited Patil’s house and inquired about their well-being. Since it was dinner time, they offered me a meal, and as their representative, I accepted their hospitality.”

His visit was also criticised by chief minister Siddaramaiah as he alleged the saffron party can go to any lengths to secure votes. Sharing images of a news clip on ‘X’, the CM said it was shocking yet not surprising that Jadhav visited the house of RD Patil for a lavish meal.

He said, “This is a slap in the face to innocent students impacted by the scam. BJP leaders will go to any lengths for votes, blatantly ignoring the plight of those affected.” He also alleged that “such encouragement of recruitment scams is another #ModiGuarantee. “We must stand against these injustices,” he added.

In a statement, the Karnataka pradesh Congress committee released a statement saying the PSI scam was the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the BJP government in the state, robbing the future of hundreds of youth. It said, “The accused who were jailed in this case are out on bail subject to court conditions. Kalaburgi Lok Sabha Constituency MP and candidate Umesh Jhadav has revealed the close relationship of BJP leaders with the PSI scam accused by visiting the house of the prime accused, having a lavish meal with them and participating in a procession. Jadhav is accused of aiding the scam with Divya Hagari, the main accused, getting an examination centre illegally for his school.”

“...Jadhav has revealed the deep relationship between the accused and BJP leaders by enjoying dinner at his house and appearing openly with him in a public procession for benefit of elections,” it further alleged.

More than 58,000 aspirants had attended the PSI job entrance examination in 2021, which was declared ‘cancelled’ due to the leakage of the question paper. The leaked paper, available a day before, was reportedly obtained from Patil’s gang, which operated across the state. The examination was postponed, resulting in two aspirants committing suicide.

More than a dozen people involved in the scam were booked, shocking those who attended the examination in the state upon learning that the gang not only leaked the police entrance examinations but also other examinations. The issue led to student protests and a political standoff between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP in both houses of the assembly.

Patil, the mastermind behind leaking many competitive examinations, including the PSI examination, over the last six-seven years, causing cancellations and postponements of several examinations has been lodged in Kalaburagi central prison since 2021. However, Hagaragi was recently granted conditional bail.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), investigating the scam, has so far far arrested and booked 113 people in the case. Apart from RD Patil and Divya Hagaragi, Chandrakant Thippanna Pyati, the first division assistant of Shahabad Community Health Centre, Basavaraj Siddaramappa Jamadar, superintendent of Backward Classes Pre-Metric Hostel in Afzalpur, and Shashidhar Shivasharanappa Jamadaar from Hirapura in Kalaburagi district were accused No. 3, 4, and 5, respectively, in the scam.