BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has suspended 2016-batch IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who is facing allegations in connection with alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment process.
Gangwar, who is currently in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), was arrested on August 29 as part of the investigation into alleged irregularities in the KPSC recruitment examination for veterinary officers.
The case is also being investigated separately by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
The state government issued the suspension order on Thursday, placing Gangwar under suspension with immediate effect and until further orders, pending further investigation by the CID.
Government Suspends Gangwar Under AIS Rules
According to the government order, the suspension has been issued under Rule 3(2) read with Rule 3(3) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
The order states that Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, IAS (KN: 2016), has been placed under suspension with immediate effect and will remain suspended until further orders, pending further investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department.
During the period of suspension, Gangwar will be entitled to subsistence allowance in accordance with Rule 4 of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.
The government has also directed that he will not be permitted to leave his headquarters under any circumstances without obtaining written permission from the State Government.
Read also: KPSC Veterinary Officer Exam Case: IAS Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar Grilled for 21 Hours, Detained by CID
Gangwar Arrested by CID on August 29
The CID arrested Gangwar on August 29 following two days of questioning in connection with alleged irregularities in the KPSC recruitment examination for veterinary officers.
According to official sources, Gangwar was questioned by investigators because of his previous role as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC, a position he held from February 2024 to March 2026.
Officials said he was taken into custody after allegedly failing to cooperate with the investigation.
The CID is examining alleged irregularities in the recruitment examination, including the handling of examination records and OMR sheets, as well as the alleged role of officials and other persons connected with the process.
Gangwar Was KPSC Examination Controller for Over Two Years
Gangwar’s role as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC has brought his conduct under scrutiny in the ongoing investigation.
He served in the position from February 2024 until March 2026, during which period several recruitment examinations conducted by the commission fell within his administrative responsibilities.
The investigation is examining how examination records and OMR sheets were handled and whether officials associated with the recruitment process played any role in the alleged irregularities.
Gangwar is currently serving as Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Department of Industries and Commerce, in the Karnataka government.
ED Also Investigating KPSC Irregularities
Apart from the CID investigation, the case has also attracted the attention of the Directorate of Enforcement, which is conducting a separate investigation.
The suspension order specifically refers to material allegedly seized during an ED search and seizure operation under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
According to the preamble of the suspension order, the Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement, Bangalore Zonal Office, reported that material seized during the search indicated that corruption was prevalent in recruitment processes conducted by the KPSC.
The order further records the ED’s allegation that the corruption was attributable to the then Controller of Examinations of the KPSC, identified as Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar.
Suspension Order Cites ED Findings
The state government’s suspension order has relied on the information received from both the ED and the CID.
The order cites the Deputy Director of the ED’s Bangalore Zonal Office as stating that material seized during the search and seizure operation under Section 17 of the PMLA indicated alleged corruption in recruitment processes conducted by the KPSC.
The material was cited as indicating that the alleged corruption was linked to the functioning of the Controller of Examinations of the commission.
The suspension order has therefore taken into account the material emerging from the ED investigation as well as the criminal investigation being conducted by the CID.
CID Case Registered at Vidhana Soudha Police Station
The suspension order also refers to information provided by the Director General of Police, CID, Bengaluru, regarding Gangwar’s arrest.
According to the order, Gangwar was arrested on August 29 in connection with a case originally registered at the Vidhana Soudha Police Station.
The case has been registered under Section 318(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 10 of the Karnataka Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Corruption and Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023.
The case is now under investigation by the CID.
Controversy Over Gangwar’s Whereabouts
Gangwar’s whereabouts had also become a matter of controversy shortly before his arrest.
He was reportedly described as “missing” following ED searches carried out in connection with the alleged KPSC irregularities.
The issue subsequently triggered questions about his whereabouts and whether he was cooperating with the investigation.
However, Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge later said that Gangwar had informed him that he had travelled to his native place in Uttar Pradesh because of a family emergency concerning his father’s health.
The ED subsequently conducted searches at premises linked to Gangwar.
Investigation Covers Examination Records and OMR Sheets
The CID investigation is examining several aspects of the KPSC recruitment examination process.
Among the issues under scrutiny are the handling and management of examination records and OMR sheets, along with the alleged involvement of officials and other persons associated with the recruitment process.
The investigation is seeking to establish how the alleged irregularities occurred and whether examination procedures were compromised.
Gangwar’s previous position as Controller of Examinations has placed him at the centre of the investigation into the administrative handling of the recruitment examinations.
Suspension Does Not Conclude Criminal Proceedings
The suspension is an administrative action pending further investigation and does not by itself determine the outcome of the criminal allegations against Gangwar.
The government has specifically placed him under suspension pending further investigation by the CID, while the ED is separately examining the matter under the PMLA framework.
The criminal case registered at Vidhana Soudha Police Station and the investigations by the CID and ED will therefore continue independently of the suspension order.
With the latest government action, Gangwar will remain out of active government duties while the agencies proceed with their investigations into the alleged KPSC recruitment irregularities.
Who Is IAS Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar?
Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar is a 2016-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Karnataka cadre. Publicly available civil-service records identify him as a direct recruit to the IAS through the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
His officer identification number is listed as 01KN115K09. Available records identify his home state as Uttar Pradesh.
Gangwar is an engineering graduate and has a B.Tech. degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur, according to publicly available profiles. He was selected for the IAS through the direct-recruitment route.
Current Posting: Director, MSME Department
Gangwar was transferred in the Karnataka government’s June 2026 bureaucratic reshuffle and appointed Director, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Commerce and Industries Department, Bengaluru.
He replaced Sateesha B.C., IAS (2012), who was moved to the post of Commissioner, Agriculture Department.
Before the latest posting, Gangwar had been serving as Joint Managing Director of the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWSDB), Bengaluru. The June 2026 reshuffle placed him in charge of the MSME wing under the Commerce and Industries Department.
A recent officer profile records his appointment as Director, MSME, from 19 June 2026.
Earlier Role in Karnataka Urban Water Supply Board
Before moving to the MSME department, Gangwar served as Joint Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board.
According to civil-list-derived information, he had been serving in the KUWSDB post since January 2024.
His tenure at the urban water supply board was among the significant assignments in his Karnataka cadre career before the June 2026 reshuffle
From Bidar Zilla Panchayat to Administrative Training Institute
Gangwar has also held field and administrative assignments earlier in his career.
In February 2021, the Karnataka government transferred him from his position as Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Panchayat, Bidar, and posted him as Joint Director (Training), Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Mysuru. The government notification recorded him as a Karnataka-cadre IAS officer of the 2016 batch.
His stint at ATI Mysuru also saw him participate in government training programmes. A National Institute of Disaster Management report from 2022 identifies Gangwar as Joint Director (Training), ATI, Mysuru, and records his participation in a programme focused on child-centric disaster risk reduction.
Earlier Central Government Assignment
Before his Karnataka field assignments, Gangwar also served as an Assistant Secretary at the Centre during his early IAS career.
Publicly available service records indicate that he served as Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises during 2018. His career thereafter included field-level administrative responsibilities in Karnataka.
His publicly documented career has therefore included both central-government exposure and several Karnataka cadre assignments.
IAS Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar: Key Career Details
Gangwar’s profile can be broadly summarised as follows:
- Service: Indian Administrative Service
- Batch: 2016
- Cadre: Karnataka
- Recruitment: Direct Recruit through UPSC Civil Services Examination
- Education: B.Tech., Electrical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
- Home State: Uttar Pradesh
- Current assignment: Director, MSME, Commerce and Industries Department, Karnataka
- Previous major assignment: Joint Managing Director, Karnataka Urban Water Supply & Drainage Board
- Earlier assignment: Joint Director (Training), Administrative Training Institute, Mysuru
- Earlier field role: CEO, Zilla Panchayat, Bidar
These career details are based on publicly available civil-list and officer-profile records.
Read also: KPSC Recruitment Probe: CID Questions IAS Officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar for Over Nine Hours
