Bengaluru: The 2016 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, Mr Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, arrested in connection with the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) examination and recruitment scam, has reportedly admitted to CID officials that he leaked the question paper of the Veterinary Officer recruitment examination to middleman Basavaraj Kannale a day before the exam.
Mr Gangwar had earlier served as the Controller of Examinations at KPSC. Before his recent suspension, he was serving as Director of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department under the Karnataka Commerce and Industries Ministry.
According to investigators, Kannale allegedly received the leaked question paper and was involved in coordinating with candidates who had purportedly paid money to secure access to it.
Digital Evidence Allegedly Destroyed
As part of the investigation, CID officials are expected to take Kannale to a location near Srirangapatna, where he allegedly disposed of digital evidence connected to the case.
Kannale has reportedly told investigators that he threw two mobile phones and a tablet into a canal. The CID is expected to conduct a search at the location as it attempts to recover the devices and establish the chain of communication between the accused and candidates.
Over Rs 12 Crore Allegedly Collected
CID officials probing the alleged recruitment scam have reportedly found that more than Rs 12 crore was collected from 24 candidates before the examination.
Much of the money was allegedly paid in cash. Investigators have also found that some candidates purportedly transferred around Rs 75 lakh directly into a cooperative bank account in Bidar held by Kannale.
The investigating agency has reportedly frozen the bank accounts of people allegedly involved in the scam as it traces the flow of money.
The financial trail is expected to be a key part of the investigation into how candidates were allegedly selected, how the leaked paper was circulated and who ultimately benefited from the recruitment irregularities.
Complainant Receives Threat Calls
The case also took another turn after Dr Manjunath, a veterinarian who filed a complaint at the Vidhana Soudha police station on July 25, 2026, reportedly received threatening calls.
Dr Manjunath had submitted the names of 29 candidates allegedly involved in irregularities in the examination.
According to reports, people close to some of the candidates named in the complaint allegedly abused and threatened him. An audio recording of one such conversation has since circulated on social media.
In the recording, the caller is allegedly heard threatening Dr Manjunath and warning him that the callers would come to Bengaluru and ensure that he would not even get ration at his house. The caller also questioned the basis of his complaint and warned him of possible legal action.
The reported threats have triggered calls on social media for police protection for the complainant and a faster investigation into the alleged recruitment scam.
CID Searches KPSC Chairperson’s Residence
As the investigation expands, CID officials reportedly searched the residence of suspended KPSC chairperson Shivashankarappa Sahukar on Monday night.
The investigators also searched the residence of an RTO inspector living in the same apartment complex.
The searches are part of the CID’s wider investigation into the alleged question-paper leak, the financial transactions involving candidates and middlemen, and the possible involvement of officials and others connected with the recruitment process.
The CID is continuing to examine the alleged money trail, digital evidence and communications among the accused and candidates to establish the full network behind the KPSC examination scam.
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