Intro: It says RD Patil, who is accused in the Police Sub-Inspector recruitment scam, was not given a chance to be heard
CH NEWS BENGALURU
The High Court has quashed the trial court’s order transferring RD Patil, the main accused in the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) recruitment scam, from Kalaburagi Central Prison to Mysore Prison.
A bench headed by Justice S Vishwajit Shetty, hearing a petition filed by Patil’s wife Shobha, issued this order. This means that RD Patil will have to be shifted back to Kalaburagi jail from Mysore jail.
The bench said that Patil, who is an undertrial prisoner, should be heard before being transferred from Kalaburagi to Mysore Central Jail. He should be given an opportunity to file objections. Transferring him without giving him an opportunity would be a violation of the principles of natural justice.
The bench also said that it was not right to transfer only on vague grounds like security and said that it was not right for the district judge to issue the order without conducting a proper inquiry.
The Kalaburagi District and Sessions Court had on January 27 allowed the transfer of the accused to the Kalaburagi Central Jail due to security reasons. Patil’s wife Shobha had filed a petition in the High Court challenging this.
During the hearing, the government’s lawyers had stated that the transfer was necessary for security reasons. Therefore, the transfer was made. They also stated that their arguments were not heard. The bench, after hearing the arguments, gave this order.
A special team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) led by Superintendent of Police of the Financial Intelligence Unit Raghavendra K Hegde arrested Patil in November 2023 in connection with irregularities in the First Grade Assistant (FDA) and Second Grade Assistant (SDA) recruitment examinations conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).
A case has been registered against him under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (CODA). He was currently in judicial custody at the Mysore Central Jail. He is now to be shifted to Kalaburagi Jail.
According to the chargesheet, Patil, a Class One civil contractor from Kalaburagi, supplied electronic devices like Bluetooth devices and walkie-talkies to candidates to help them cheat in the exams. Investigators have alleged that he committed similar fraud in several recruitment exams.
