Bengaluru, Sep 29 (IANS): The Bengaluru 4th City Civil and Sessions Court on Tuesday remanded Basavaraj Kannale, a key accused in the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) scam involving the recruitment of veterinary officers, to 14 days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody.
ED officials produced Kannale before the court and sought his custody for further questioning. Allowing the plea, the court ordered that Kannale be taken into ED custody for 14 days to facilitate further investigation.
Suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, former KPSC Controller of Examinations, whom the CID arrested, is also currently in ED custody. Gangwar reportedly admitted to leaking the veterinary officer exam paper to Kannale a day before the test. The development has gained significance as Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has targeted Home Minister Priyank Kharge over illegal recruitments. At the same time, BJP leaders have claimed that many ministers could face jail in connection with the scam.
The KPSC recruitment scam has escalated into a multi-agency investigation involving a High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), the CID and the ED.
On September 21, 2026, the Karnataka High Court termed the manipulation in KPSC recruitments a “fraud upon the Constitution” and ordered a fresh probe, setting up a five-member SIT headed by DGP Alok Kumar. The SIT has been given 100 days to complete its investigation and file a final report.
Investigations have uncovered deep financial irregularities. Kannale reportedly collected over Rs 12 crore from candidates, charging Rs 70 lakh to Rs 90 lakh per post. A paper trail showed a direct Rs 1.3 crore cash payment to Gangwar, along with funding for luxury jewellery, including a Rs 23 lakh diamond necklace, and 65 flight tickets for the officer and a friend. The probe also uncovered a benami bank account holding Rs 1.86 crore.
Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government is consulting legal experts to shut down the KPSC, remarking that “thieves are stationed there,” and that illegal activities have compromised the commission. Opposition parties have labelled the body the “Karnataka Private Commission” and demanded accountability. CM Shivakumar also said the state would appeal against the High Court’s move to constitute the SIT, calling it interference.
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This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.