The Karnataka CID probing the alleged irregularities in the KPSC veterinary officer recruitment examination, has so far questioned 40 candidates, of whom 29 have been named as accused in the FIR, official sources said on Monday.
The investigation has uncovered alleged links between candidates, middlemen and suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who served as Karnataka Public Service Commission Controller of Examinations from February 2024 to March 2026.
The CID arrested Gangwar on August 29, and he was subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
According to sources, the probe has so far traced deposits totalling Rs 92 lakh from candidates into accounts linked to a cooperative bank and a private bank account.
They said the CID has frozen withdrawals from accounts into which candidates allegedly deposited money. This includes Rs 64 lakh in a cooperative bank account and Rs 5.20 lakh in a private bank account, totalling Rs 69.20 lakh.
The investigators also examined the financial transactions of the key arrested suspect, Basavaraj Kannale. They froze withdrawals of Rs 71.18 lakh from the bank accounts of Kannale and his wife and seized Rs 5.76 lakh in cash from Kannale.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered a fresh probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising senior IPS officials, into the alleged KPSC veterinary officer recruitment scam, declining a request to hand the case over to the CBI.
The CID probe found that communications between candidates, middlemen and Kannale were conducted through WhatsApp. Mobile phones belonging to candidates have been seized and are being examined.
Investigators also found that printed copies of questions were allegedly supplied to candidates in advance.
Sources said around 60 to 80 questions from each question paper were allegedly leaked to candidates, who were also made to practise answering them.
According to the investigation, the alleged leakage took place at three villas in a gated community near Devanahalli. Three cars were used to transport candidates to the villas and, the following day, to the examination centres.
The CID searched the villa where the questions were allegedly leaked and also searched the residences of middlemen Pavan and Omprakash. An OMR sheet and two mobile phones were seized from Omprakash’s residence.
Investigators questioned relatives of candidates who deposited money into the bank accounts and said five candidates were made to practise answering the leaked questions, sources said.
Gangwar’s residence was searched and a search mahazar was prepared.
Official sources said records relating to KPSC communications concerning the veterinary examination question paper were seized.
Call records and IPDR analysis allegedly established contact between Gangwar and Kannale before and after the veterinary examination.
Look-out circulars have been issued against suspended KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar, former KPSC member Shanta Hosamani, middleman Prem Kumar, Omkar Kamshetty and his wife Lakshmi Nagare, who is identified as the president of Om Lakshmi Souharda Cooperative Society.
A notice was issued to Sahukar, whose anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Karnataka High Court. His residence was also searched.
Records relating to the preparation of examination questions at KPSC have been seized and the audit of all bank accounts is underway, official sources said regarding the probe so far.
