ED files 585-page chargesheet in KPSC exam scam
BENGALURU: Escalating its pursuit of public sector corruption, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a comprehensive 585-page prosecution complaint backed by over 8,000 pages of supporting documents against four primary figures allegedly tied to a massive recruitment fraud within the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
The high-profile chargesheet names suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar (62), KPSC member B.V. Geetha (46), former KPSC Controller of Examinations and IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar (41), and alleged conduit Basavaraj Kannale (36). The federal financial investigation reveals a systematic conspiracy to compromise examinations for veterinary doctor posts held in January, where 1,400 aspirants competed for 400 vacancies, culminating in the selection of 328 candidates.
According to federal investigators, the accused orchestrated a lucrative bribery and question-leaking syndicate targeting roughly 19 candidates who allegedly funneled illicit payments ranging between ₹20 lakh and ₹40 lakh.
Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who was initially arrested by the ED on September 17, is accused of acting as the primary technical leak source. He allegedly supplied confidential answer keys to Sahukar and Geetha, while independently providing question papers and correct answers to 11 aspirants channeled through middleman Basavaraj Kannale.
Forensic audits and financial tracking indicate that the compromised test papers directly influenced the merit lists. Investigators uncovered that 19 candidates who gained unauthorized access to questions and answer keys ahead of the examination swept the top 19 rank positions. Specific findings allege that a candidate who paid an advance of ₹20 lakh to B.V. Geetha secured the first rank, whereas another who paid ₹10 lakh to Shivashankarappa Sahukar claimed the third rank. In total, Sahukar and Geetha are accused of directly soliciting and laundering bribes from at least nine top-ranking aspirants.
Legal proceedings have moved swiftly ahead of statutory timelines, with the complaint filed prior to the 60‑day window following initial arrests. While bail applications for Gangwar, Kannale, and Sahukar have been systematically rejected by special courts, with Sahukar’s plea denied as recently as November 11, B.V. Geetha secured conditional relief on statutory grounds pertaining to female accused provisions. Legal experts note that the submission of the formal prosecution complaint opens avenues for all incarcerated accused to seek fresh bail hearings.
To proceed with criminal trial prosecution against the senior officials, the ED must secure formal statutory sanctions: presidential sanction for Shivashankarappa Sahukar, gubernatorial clearance for B.V. Geetha, and central government authorization for IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar.
Concurrently, a parallel criminal investigation is being spearheaded by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Karnataka High Court, expanding scrutiny into administrative dimensions previously unexamined by initial CID probes.
