Nearly three decades after the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment controversy erupted, a Bengaluru court has finally brought the matter to a close. The court acquitted former KPSC chairman HN Krishna and five other accused individuals, citing insufficient credible evidence in the 1998 gazetted probationers selection case.
Court Ruling and Key Observations
First Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Manjunatha KP, in his order dated April 30, noted that the prosecution failed to establish the charges despite a lengthy trial and voluminous records. The court observed that the evidence presented largely established only the official roles of the accused, not any wrongdoing.
Accused and Allegations
HN Krishna was named the prime accused, along with two candidates—Asha Parveen and Salma Firdosh—and three KPSC staff members: K Narasimha, P Gopi Krishna, and MB Banakaar. The case was registered based on allegations that deserving candidates were denied posts while others were favoured through forged caste and income certificates submitted beyond prescribed deadlines.
The CID filed its chargesheet in 2012, alleging manipulation of the selection process. The prosecution claimed that certain candidates were wrongfully selected at the expense of meritorious candidates HG Prabhakar, KS Hanumantharayappa, and Allabaksh.
Weaknesses in the Prosecution Case
During the trial, 41 witnesses were examined and 71 documents were submitted by the prosecution, while the defence produced 81 documents. The court highlighted several weaknesses:
- Several crucial witnesses, including alleged victims, turned hostile or contradicted their earlier statements.
- Witnesses admitted they had either not submitted required documents during interviews or were unsure of their earlier claims.
- Documentary evidence showed inconsistencies, including missing pages in exhibits and conflicting forensic reports on caste certificates.
- Investigators admitted they had not conclusively verified which documents were genuine in some cases.
Testimonies indicated that responsibility for verifying documents lay primarily with KPSC staff and the scrutiny process, while the selection committee's role was limited to conducting interviews and awarding marks. Some witnesses stated they did not observe any irregularities.
Court's Final Analysis
The court observed that simply presenting a large number of witnesses and documents—described during the trial as 'a trunk full of records'—was not sufficient without clear proof of intent to cheat or manipulate. It emphasised that there was no convincing evidence to show that the accused had knowingly forged documents, misused them, or acted with dishonest intent.
In its final analysis, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove that any candidate was illegally favoured or that any official deliberately caused loss to others. With key allegations remaining unsubstantiated and evidence lacking consistency and reliability, the court concluded that the case had not been proven beyond doubt. Accordingly, all accused were acquitted, ending one of Karnataka's most debated recruitment controversies linked to the KPSC.
Background of the Case
Recruitment irregularities in KPSC's gazetted probationer selections of 1998 and 1999 triggered a major controversy in Karnataka. HN Krishna, who served as a KPSC member and later its chairperson during those years, was arrested by the CID in 2011. At the time of arrest, Krishna was serving as state information commissioner.
Along with aspirants Asha Parveen and Salma Firdosh, the CID accused KPSC staffers K Narasimha, MB Banakar, and P Gopi Krishna (personal assistant to HN Krishna) in the case. A forensic report by a Hyderabad laboratory had flagged discrepancies in caste certificates. While Asha Parveen was selected as tahsildar, Firdosh was selected as assistant sub-registrar.
