Bengaluru, Dec 21 (IANS): The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the special wing probing the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) scam, has invoked the stringent Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Act, 2000 (KCOCA) against 12 accused in connection with the case.

According to the official statement by the CID on Thursday, the provision of KCOCA has been invoked against the main accused person and kingpin R.D. Patil, as he is involved in the PSI recruitment scam as well. The act is also invoked against accused Santosh Kottalli, Shivakumara, Sidrama Koli, Ravikumar, Rudragowda, Rahim Choudhary, Sagar, Basanna Poojari, Chandrakantha Burakal, Shashidhara Jamadara and Basavaraja Yelavara.

Eight cases have been registered at Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts pertaining to malpractices in the examination held on July 28, 2023, conducted by the KEA with regard to recruitment of FDA posts in Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation (KEONICS) and other state government organisations.

CID is further investigating these cases and arrested several accused persons and collected key evidence.

The KCOCA is a law enacted by Karnataka in 2000 to combat organised crime and terrorism. The act was modelled on the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA).