The Karnataka High Court directed the state government to activate the KPSC recruitment scam SIT immediately. The warning underscores judicial concern over delays in probing alleged public officials' involvement.Image used for representational purposes onlyBengaluru,Oct 28, 2026 21:08 ISTThe Karnataka High Court on Wednesday criticised the state government for failing to make operational the Special Investigation Team constituted to probe the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission recruitment scam, Press Trust of India reported.

The court directed the government to take immediate steps to allow the SIT to obtain the investigation records from the Criminal Investigation Department.Justice M Nagaprasanna questioned the delay despite the Supreme Court's October 13 order upholding the SIT investigation. He said the government could declare the SIT a police station and authorise the designated Superintendent of Police to receive the records while the dispute over two members of the team was being resolved."What has happened after the order of the apex court?" the judge asked. "What investigation is happening in an alleged scam of this magnitude?" he asked Advocate General K Shashi Kiran Shetty.The court observed that the Supreme Court had not interfered with the constitution of the SIT and that the state government's concerns were limited to replacing two members, including the head of the team.

It said nothing prevented the government from notifying the SIT as a police station to facilitate the transfer of records from the CID. "In these cases, you should not show a lackadaisical attitude. You should do it fast," Justice Nagaprasanna told the Advocate General.

According to PTI, Shetty acknowledged that the government had neither notified the SIT nor taken steps to transfer the records.The judge said the appointment of the SIT head and making the team operational were separate matters. "You don't worry about the chief of the SIT, sir," he said, adding that its composition could be decided after considering the petitioners' objections to the proposed names. Advocates Girish Bharadwaj and Venkatesh Dalwai appeared for the petitioners.

Shetty submitted in a sealed cover a list of names proposed to replace two SIT members in accordance with the Supreme Court's directions. The High Court directed the state to share with the petitioners its October 25 communication containing the proposed names so that they could raise objections.The court also questioned the inclusion of officers below the rank of Additional Director General of Police in the proposed list.

After a discussion on the ranks and eligibility of the suggested officers, the Advocate General agreed not to pursue the part of the list containing the names of Inspector General of Police-rank officers.The court said the Supreme Court had allowed the state to suggest alternative names for the two members and permitted the petitioners to object to them. It gave the petitioners two days to file their objections and said the SIT's composition would be considered at the next hearing.Reading out its observations, the High Court said the Supreme Court had noted the seriousness of the allegations and the possibility that public officials were involved, warranting an investigation by a special team of senior officers.

It said the Supreme Court had found no reason to interfere with the direction for an SIT investigation.The matter was adjourned to Friday. The High Court said it would pass appropriate orders if the state failed to declare the SIT a police station by then.The case involves the arrests of KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, member B V Geetha, former examination controller Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and alleged middleman Basavaraj Kannale.

Sahukar is accused of illegally securing the selection of his daughters as industrial officers, while large-scale irregularities have also been alleged in the recruitment of veterinary doctors. Sahukar has been suspended, and the state government has approved the prosecution of Gangwar, an IAS officer.The High Court constituted the SIT to investigate the alleged recruitment scam, while the Enforcement Directorate is conducting a separate probe.

The court has now asked the state government to make the team operational without further delay and will consider its composition at the next hearing.- Ends