Karnataka Cong Chief's images with PSI scam accused Divya tumble out

Images of a meeting between Divya Hagaragi, accused of PSI recruitment scandal and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President DK Sivakumar are being widely shared by the local Karnataka media.

The images have emerged at a time when Divya has been imprisoned for her alleged role in the PSI recruitment and the Congress party has been cornering the state BJP government of fostering the scam and seeking the Karnataka Home Minister's resignation.

Earlier Divya, a BJP leader, was also seen photographed with former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, Karnataka Home Minister Aaruga Gyanendra and Ramesh Jarakihili, along with other prominent state leaders.

According to local media reports, these images were clicked when Divya had visited DK Shivakumar's home. It is being alleged that she visited his house several times when DK Shivakumar was the Karnataka Minister of Medical Education under the Congress regime and she was given the licence to open a Nursing College.

Divya, 41-year-old BJP leader from Kalaburgi was the former president of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) women’s unit. She is the owner and principal of Gyan Jyoti English Medium School in Kalaburagi district, which was selected as an examination centre for the PSI recruitment exams, where PSI exams were allegedly rigged. She is in jail over accusations of facilitating large-scale cheating.

What is the PSI Scam?

Several candidates writing the PSI recruitment exam for the 545 sub-inspector posts held in October last year allegedly used means of fraud to score well.

Six rank winners among 12 have been arrested for fraud in the recruitment exams. The scam first came to light when officials noticed that candidates who scored high all took the exam at the Kalaburagi centre. The suspicion, that a fraud has taken place, was confirmed when a police officer told media that each candidate had paid Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs before the exams.

The state government then ordered a detailed probe into the matter and handed the case over to CID. Since then, Congress and BJP leaders have been head-butting and pointing fingers at one another, especially after the CID uncovered the alleged involvement of leaders from both parties in the scam.

The police have so far arrested 22 people in connection with the scam, including Hagaragi and those arrested along with her. This list also includes a block president of the Congress party for the Afzalpur region in the Kalaburagi district, R D Patil, who is said to have played a major role in the rigging of the exam.

Several candidates writing the PSI recruitment exam for the 545 sub-inspector posts held in October last year allegedly used means of fraud to score well.