While the probe in the sub-inspector recruitment scam is underway, Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Wednesday said the government would decide on conducting a re-examination once the probe is complete.

Speaking to reporters, he said once the probe by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is completed, the examination dates will be announced and the aspirants need not to panic. He also met the aspirants and assured them not to worry about being over-aged to apply, saying the government would consider allowing those who had attended the cancelled examination to take the re-examination.

The examination to hire 545 police sub-inspectors was held on October 3, 2021, and around 54,041 students appeared for it. Questions were raised about the examination after the OMR sheet of one of the accused, Veeresh N, surfaced. Veeresh, who obtained the seventh rank among 67 candidates selected from the Kalyana Karnataka region, was found to have obtained 121 marks despite answering only 21 out of 100 questions in a 150-marks paper.

Additional director-general of police Amrit Paul was arrested for his alleged involvement in the scam. A 1,900-page chargesheet filed by the CID said the question paper was leaked by the staff and headmaster of a school where the examination was held and that they had answered the questions on behalf of the students after the examination was over.

Police have arrested more than 50 people including BJP leader and Jnana Jyothi English medium school head Divya Hagaragi; Congress leader Mahanthesh D Patil; his brother Rudragouda Patil, the Afzalpur Congress MLA’s gunman, Hayyali Desai; an assistant engineer, Manjunath Melakundi; DySP (finger prints) R R Hosamani of Kalburgi; Lingasur DySP Mallikarjun Sali; fingerprints section police inspector Anand Mestri; assistant commandant Vaijanath Revoor; and many toppers.