ED Arrests Suspended IAS Officer and Middleman in KPSC Recruitment Scam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally arrested suspended Karnataka-cadre IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and alleged middleman Basavaraj Kannale in connection with the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment scam. The agency executed the arrests at Bengaluru Central Prison under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after conducting four days of detailed questioning inside the facility. Both individuals were previously arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and remanded to judicial custody. Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer who served as the Controller of Examinations at KPSC from February 2024 to March 2026, is accused of leaking examination question papers for 400 veterinary officer posts. Investigators revealed that candidates paid amounts ranging between ₹30 lakh and ₹80 lakh to Kannale for guaranteed selection. The middleman allegedly gathered candidates at a resort in Devanahalli before the examinations to coach them using leaked questions. The CID's financial trail showed that approximately ₹52 lakh collected from candidates was allegedly spent on gold and diamond jewellery for an associate of Gangwar. The ED's action follows searches across 21 locations in Karnataka and Gujarat. The agency is now tracking the broader money trail, suspected benami properties, and financial transactions connected to the illegal operation. The accused will be produced before a special court to seek formal custody for further investigation.