Full Breakdown
Alleged Leak of Karnataka Public Service Commission Veterinary Recruitment Exam
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Core Event
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleges that suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, then examination controller of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), gave the veterinary officer entrance-exam question paper and answer key on a pen drive to Basavaraj Kannale, a Tumkur University syndicate member, on January 7 2026. The exam was held on January 9. The ED says the pair conspired to sell the paper, collecting about INR1.50 crore in advance bribes—INR1.30 crore in cash to Gangwar and INR23 lakh used to buy gold jewellery.
Background & Context
KPSC recruits for state posts, including 400 veterinary doctor positions. The 2026 selection attracted roughly 1,400 aspirants, with 329 selected. After the exam, candidates reported irregularities, prompting allegations of paper leakage and OMR-sheet manipulation.
Timeline of Key Developments
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 7 2026 | ED alleges Gangwar delivered the paper and answers to Kannale via an HP pen drive. |
| January 8 | Kannale booked four villas in Devanahalli for aspirants who received the leaked papers. |
| January 9 | Veterinary officer entrance exam conducted in Bengaluru. |
| September 9 | After a CID probe, Gangwar and Kannale were remanded to judicial custody. |
| September 26 | Special court judge Manjunath Sangreshi remanded Gangwar to ED custody until this date. |
Financial Allegations & Quantitative Details
- Advance bribes claimed: ? INR1.50 crore (ED).
- Cash passed to Gangwar: INR1.30 crore.
- Gold jewellery purchase: INR23 lakh.
- Bank accounts frozen: INR64 lakh (Om Lakshmi Souharda Sahakari Bank); INR5.20 lakh (Kotak Mahindra Bank).
- Cash seized: INR5.76 lakh.
- Aspirants involved: sources cite 20 individuals housed in villas; CID identified 11 candidates who transferred INR80 lakh to Kannale’s accounts.
Official Statements & Responses
- Special Public Prosecutor Maheshwari D M (ED) requested a 14-day custodial remand for Gangwar to trace proceeds and identify additional participants.
- CID investigators said they are analysing CCTV footage from an apartment owned by Gangwar’s brother, used by the alleged network.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Number of implicated candidates: Indian Express reports “as many as 20 aspirants” stayed in villas, while CID lists 11 candidates who transferred INR80 lakh.
- Bribe amounts per aspirant: Kannale claimed bribes of INR20-40 lakh for nine aspirants; CID’s INR80 lakh across 11 candidates suggests a lower average.
- Role of KPSC chairman: Kannale alleged that chairman Sahukar Shivashankarappa referred some candidates, but this remains unverified.
- Custody timeline: Gangwar was produced from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison on the day of the September 26 remand; the exact date of his initial CID arrest is not detailed beyond the September 9 reference.
Why It Matters
The alleged leak threatens confidence in Karnataka’s merit-based recruitment system and has prompted talk of reforming KPSC’s governance. Ongoing investigations by the ED, CID and a forthcoming Special Investigation Team will determine the scope of the corruption and could set precedents for handling recruitment fraud in Indian public services.
