The Enforcement Directorate has intensified its probe into the Karnataka Public Service Commission recruitment scam, interrogating a suspended IAS officer and an alleged middleman within Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.

  • ED interrogated suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and middleman Basavaraj Kannale.
  • The investigation centers on a corruption scandal involving the recruitment of veterinary officers.
  • Court rejected anticipatory bail for KPSC member Shantha Hosamani, who remains absconding.

In a significant escalation of the investigation into the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scandal, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted a rigorous interrogation of suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and alleged middleman Basavaraj Kannale on Friday. The duo, who are currently in judicial custody at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, were questioned for several hours following special permission granted by the 51st City Civil and Sessions Court.

The probe originates from a high-profile scam involving the recruitment of veterinary officers. The ED's involvement began after the Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR, leading to coordinated raids on the KPSC offices and properties linked to Mr. Gangwar, who served as the Controller of Examinations during the period the recruitment exams were conducted. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had previously arrested Gangwar on August 30, followed by the arrest of Kannale the next day.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this case highlights a systemic vulnerability within state-level recruitment bodies. When high-ranking bureaucrats like a Controller of Examinations are implicated in bribery and middleman networks, it erodes public trust in the meritocracy of government appointments. The intersection of CID and ED investigations suggests a complex money-laundering trail accompanying the recruitment fraud.

"The involvement of an IAS officer at the helm of examinations suggests a deep-rooted institutional failure that requires more than just arrests; it requires a total overhaul of the KPSC's digital and administrative transparency."

Parallel to the prison interrogations, the legal net is tightening around other suspects. The 51st City Civil and Sessions Court recently rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Shantha Hosamani, a KPSC member appointed in 2021. Hosamani is named as a primary suspect in an FIR dated August 7 regarding corruption in the recruitment of gazetted probationers—a process whose results are still pending.

Ms. Hosamani has reportedly been absconding since the registration of the cases. In response, the ED has issued a lookout notice to prevent her from leaving the country, while both the CID and ED have intensified their manhunt to bring her into custody for questioning.

Did You Know?: The Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru is one of India's most high-profile jails, often housing prominent political figures and white-collar criminals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the primary suspect in the KPSC veterinary officer scam?
Suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, the former Controller of Examinations, and middleman Basavaraj Kannale are central figures in the probe.

What is the status of KPSC member Shantha Hosamani?
Her anticipatory bail was rejected by the court, and she is currently absconding with a lookout notice issued against her by the ED.