Bengaluru: A special court in Bengaluru has extended the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar by eight days, taking his custody period to October 3 in connection with an investigation into alleged irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment examinations.
Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka-cadre, was earlier taken into six-day ED custody after being arrested in connection with the alleged leakage of the KPSC Veterinary Officer recruitment examination question paper. He had previously been arrested by the Karnataka Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on August 29.
ED Alleges Irregularities Across Multiple Exams
During the latest hearing, the ED submitted its findings to the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in a sealed envelope.
According to the agency, its interrogation of Gangwar and analysis of material seized during searches have opened new lines of investigation into alleged irregularities involving multiple KPSC examinations, beyond the veterinary officer recruitment examination.
The ED told the court that further interrogation was required to verify the information obtained during the investigation and to identify other people allegedly involved in the case. The court subsequently granted the agency an additional eight days of custody.
Veterinary Officer Exam Under Investigation
The ED’s investigation initially focused on alleged leakage of the question paper for the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers.
Gangwar had served as the KPSC Controller of Examinations from 2024 until March 2026, when he was replaced. The Karnataka CID has also been investigating alleged manipulation of examination records and OMR sheets in the recruitment process.
The ED has alleged that middleman Basavaraj Kannale collected money from candidates in connection with the alleged paper leak and that financial transactions linked to the case require further investigation. These allegations form part of the agency’s money-laundering probe.
Gangwar’s Role Under Investigation
Gangwar was serving as Director of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Karnataka’s Department of Industries and Commerce when the investigation into the KPSC recruitment process intensified.
The Karnataka government suspended him in September pending further investigation by the CID. The suspension order cited allegations concerning his role as Controller of Examinations at KPSC and referred to material gathered by investigating agencies.
Court Extends Custody Until October 3
The special PMLA court granted the ED an additional eight days of custody after the agency argued that further questioning was necessary to verify its findings and investigate the alleged financial trail.
The latest development widens the scope of the KPSC recruitment investigation beyond the veterinary officer examination, with the ED examining whether similar irregularities occurred in other recruitment examinations conducted by the commission.
