Pramesh S Jain
The Enforcement Directorate (ED),Bengaluru Zonal Office,has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs.1.53 crore in connection with the Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Recruitment Scam,under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),2002.
The attachment was carried out on January 23,2026,in the case involving Amrit Paul and others.The attached assets include residential properties belonging to Amrit Paul,then Additional Director General of Police (Recruitment),and Sridhar H,a Head Constable,the ED said in a press release issued.
The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the High Grounds Police Station,CID, Bengaluru,against several police officials and candidates over irregularities in the recruitment of Police Sub-Inspectors (PSI) in Karnataka for the year 2021–22.
The Karnataka Police Recruitment Cell had conducted examinations to fill 545 PSI vacancies,following which allegations of cheating and corrupt practices surfaced after the tentative results were announced.
According to the ED,investigations revealed that Amrit Paul played a key role in the conspiracy by facilitating unauthorised access to the strong room where OMR answer sheets were stored.
He allegedly handed over the keys of the almirah containing the strong room keys to DySP Shanth Kumar, enabling accomplices,including Sridhar H,to tamper with OMR sheets of undeserving candidates to ensure their selection.
The accused allegedly collected bribes ranging from Rs.30 lakh to Rs.70 lakh per candidate.
The illicit proceeds were reportedly layered under the guise of hand loans and utilised for the construction of residential properties,which have now been attached as proceeds of crime.
Earlier,the ED had filed a Prosecution Complaint in the case,and the competent court has already taken cognisance of the offence of money laundering under Section 3 of the PMLA,2002.
Further investigation in the case is under progress.
