Internal rivalry, succession battles: How KPSC got exposed

CH NEWS, BENGALURU What initially surfaced as a minor administrative discrepancy concerning a candidate's income credentials has blown wide open into one of the most explosive corruption scandals in recent state history. New investigative findings reveal that fierce internal rivalries, bitter factional power struggles, and intense lobbying for top administrative posts within the Karnataka Public Service Commission were the actual catalysts that dismantled a sophisticated, multi-crore cash-for-jobs recruitment ring. As the tenure of former KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar approached its scheduled conclusion in February 2027, intense political maneuvering began among commission members eyeing the upcoming chairmanship. Over the preceding three years, the total strength of the commission had expanded significantly from eight to eighteen members, fostering an environment ripe for factionalism and deep-seated institutional friction. Investigators note that the initial breach occurred when sensitive files alleging that Sahukar's daughter had submitted a false income certificate while applying for a veterinary officer post were abruptly leaked. Internal factions, already locked in a ruthless battle for administrative supremacy, deliberately pushed the information into the public domain to block Sahukar's continued ascent and pressure him into premature resignation. The subsequent media scrutiny and immediate federal oversight ripped the lid off widespread administrative rot. The Enforcement Directorate and state investigative agencies have since confirmed that question papers for the high-stakes veterinary officer examinations were systematically leaked to at least ten select candidates in exchange for staggering bribes ranging between forty to fifty lakh rupees per applicant. Prior to the exam, these favored candidates were sequestered in secluded luxury resort villas on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where they were coached intensively to memorize eighty specific questions and their corresponding correct answers. Forensic audits and intense custodial interrogations have further implicated suspended IAS officer and former exam controller Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, alongside middleman Basavaraj Kannale, Chairman Sahukar, and commission member B.V. Geetha. Investigators uncovered that the conspirators exploited confidential merit lists to target high-scoring aspirants, extorting massive sums under the guise of assuring final selection. During simultaneous nationwide raids, federal authorities seized crucial incriminating evidence, including signed blank cheques and promissory notes worth eighty lakh rupees extracted as financial security. As the Enforcement Directorate deepens its audit into the syndicate's hidden assets, the ongoing scandal continues to cast a dark shadow over the credibility of public sector hiring in Karnataka.