KPSC recruitment scam: Basavaraj Kannale remanded to ED custody

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has remanded Basavaraj Kannale to 14 days of custody in connection with an alleged recruitment scam within the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). The investigation concerns the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers.

According to the ED, former KPSC Controller of Examinations and suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar allegedly leaked the examination question paper to Kannale a day before the test. The agency claims candidates were taken to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru to memorize the leaked answers.

Investigations have uncovered significant financial irregularities. Kannale reportedly collected between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 90 lakh per post. Evidence suggests a direct cash payment of Rs 1.3 crore was made to Gangwar, which allegedly funded luxury items including a diamond necklace and numerous flight tickets. The probe, which involves a High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), the CID, and the ED, follows a court ruling describing the manipulation as a “fraud upon the Constitution.”