Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday searched the Bengaluru and Bareilly premises of Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, as part of its money-laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in a Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment examination.
The searches were conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Gangwar is currently serving as Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Karnataka Department of Industries and Commerce.
The ED action comes days after the agency conducted searches at the KPSC headquarters and premises linked to former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, member Shanta Hosmani and others on August 18. The investigation concerns alleged irregularities in the recruitment examination for veterinary officers.
Gangwar’s Earlier Role at KPSC
Before his current assignment, Gangwar served as Controller of Examinations at KPSC. He was removed from that position in March 2026. A Karnataka government promotion order issued in December 2024 also recorded his concurrent charge as Controller of Examinations, KPSC, alongside his posting as Joint Managing Director of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board.
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The recruitment probe has brought his earlier role at the commission under scrutiny. However, the ED has not publicly established that Gangwar himself accepted bribes or participated in the alleged irregularities. His specific role, if any, remains subject to the ongoing investigation.
What Is the KPSC Recruitment Case?
The ED’s investigation relates to alleged financial irregularities in the KPSC recruitment examination for veterinary officers.
The agency’s first major search operation in the case on August 18 covered multiple premises, including:
- KPSC headquarters in Bengaluru
- Premises of former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar
- Premises of KPSC member Shanta Hosmani
- Locations linked to alleged intermediaries
- Premises connected with the examination process
The investigation is examining the alleged money trail connected with the recruitment irregularities.
Home Minister Denies Gangwar ‘Missing’ Reports
Gangwar’s name also came into focus after reports that he had gone “missing” for several hours.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge subsequently rejected the reports and said Gangwar was in his native Uttar Pradesh following a family emergency related to his father’s health. Kharge said he had spoken to the officer and that Gangwar was expected to return.
Kharge also said there were no allegations against Gangwar at that point and that the officer had indicated he was open to an inquiry by any investigating agency.
Probe Remains Underway
The latest searches have brought a serving Karnataka-cadre IAS officer into the wider ED investigation into alleged KPSC recruitment irregularities. However, a search by an investigating agency does not by itself establish wrongdoing, and Gangwar’s specific role in the case has not been publicly established by the ED.
The investigation into the alleged paper leak, OMR answer tempering, recruitment irregularities and related money-laundering aspects is continuing.
Who Is Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar?
Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar is a 2016-batch Karnataka-cadre IAS officer with a B.Tech qualification from IIT Kanpur in Electrical Engineering. He entered the Indian Administrative Service through direct recruitment and was allotted Karnataka cadre.
Before his current assignment as Director-MSME in the Karnataka Department of Industries and Commerce, Gangwar held several administrative positions in the state. He previously served as Joint Managing Director of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board and also worked as Joint Director (Training) at the Administrative Training Institute, Mysuru.
Gangwar was among the candidates who secured the IAS in the 2015 Civil Services Examination, with an All India Rank of 314. He was subsequently allotted the Karnataka cadre and joined the service in 2016.
