K’taka: ED probe suggests Cong MLA as kingpin in recruitment scam; Rs 1.32cr-worth assets attached
Bengaluru: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) investigation into a recruitment scam has revealed that the Congress MLA K.Y. Nanjegowda representing Malur assembly seat is the kingpin. The ED sleuths have also attached movable and immovable properties of MLA Gowda and other accused worth Rs 1.32 crore in connection with the case.
The ED in its official statement on Thursday stated: “Bengaluru Zonal Office on July 16 has issued Provisional Attachment Order attaching immovable and moveable properties of Malur Congress MLA K. Y. Nanjegowda and others worth Rs 1.32 crore in a money laundering case related to Kolar-Chikkaballapura District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd, (KOMUL) recruitment scam, 2023.”
K.Y. Nanjegowda emerged as the principal architect of the scam, leveraging his role as Chairman of KOMUL, to control the overall recruitment, the ED said.
The ED has filed a money laundering case against Malur Congress MLA Nanjegowda and others based on the material collected during investigation and search carried out in relation to a land grant scam in Malur Taluk under his chairmanship under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The ED has also made a reference in this regard to Lokayukta Police and filed a complaint before Special Court for Trial of MP/MLA Cases in its efforts to register the said scam.
The ED investigation revealed that the recruitment process held by KOMUL for the year 2023, which consisted of written exam and interview was manipulated in lieu of money and/or recommendation of political persons.
The recruitment committee led by K Y Nanjegowda, MLA and Chairman of KOMUL along with K.N. Gopala Murthy, Managing Director in KOMUL, conspired with other Directors in KOMUL and hatched a plan which resulted into favoring of certain less meritorious candidates and deprivation of the deserving candidates, the statement said.
Further, the evidence found and seized during search action in the form of parallel OMR sheets (original and tampered), WhatsApp messages received from the politicians recommending certain candidates and forwarded by Nanjegowda and other directors to the staff of KOMUL, the ED said.
Further, procedural lapses observed in the entire recruitment process at the level of KOMUL and the Mangalore University indicating efforts to hide the irregularity in the process, admission by the directors and staff of KOMUL, Registrar Mangalore University, Nagendra Prasad and certain candidates who were accommodated in the examination, has unearthed a mega scam in the recruitment to (KOMUL) 2023, the ED stated.
As per the evidence gathered during search action, a sum of Rs 1.56 crore was generated as Proceeds of Crime by manipulating the recruitment process both during the written exam and interview stages, in lieu of monetary benefit accepted from the candidates assuring them their selection in KOMUL recruitment, 2023, the ED said.
Statements and evidence indicate that he played a leading role in fixing the number of “reserved” seats, orchestrating how bribes would be collected, and directing the manipulation of written exam OMR sheets and interview scores to ensure recommended or paying candidates were selected thereby he has illegally enriched himself to the tune of Rs 80 lakh out of the total proceeds of Rs.1.56 crore, the ED stated.
