KPSC veterinary officer recruitment scam: CID probe reveals money trail, question-paper leak network

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The Karnataka Public Service Commission office in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: File photo

The CID probing the alleged KPSC veterinary officer recruitment examination scam has traced a ₹92 lakh money trail, besides identifying the alleged network through which examination questions were leaked to candidates before the test.

According to the latest investigation details, 40 candidates have been questioned, of whom 29 have been named as accused in the FIR. Investigators have established links between candidates, a set of intermediaries, former KPSC Controller of Examinations IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and yet a key intermediary Basavaraj Kannale.

The probe has revealed that five candidates — Siddharth, Raj Mohammed, Basavaraj, Mahendra, and Niranjan — were allegedly contacted by intermediary Pawan through Kannale. Another candidate, Mohammed Sohel, was allegedly contacted by intermediary Maruti through Kannale. Besides, Kannale allegedly directly contacted candidates Vinod, Kiran Gowda, and Chaitra.

Investigators have traced deposits totalling ₹92 lakh into accounts linked to the alleged network, including an account with Om Lakshmi Souharda Cooperative Bank at Tilakwadi and a Kotak Mahindra Bank account in the name of Balu Reddy.

The records show multiple deposits ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh between January and February 2026 by candidates. The investigation has also recorded alleged cash payments by candidates.

The CID has frozen debit operations in the accounts into which the candidates allegedly deposited money. Around ₹69.2 lakh (₹64 lakh in the Om Lakshmi Souharda Cooperative Bank account and ₹5.2 lakh in the Kotak Mahindra Bank account) has been frozen. A further ₹71.18 lakh in the bank accounts of Kannale and his wife has also been debit-frozen. The CID has seized ₹5.76 lakh in cash from Kannale.

The investigation has found that communications between candidates, intermediaries, and Kannale were carried out through WhatsApp, while mobile phones seized from the candidates are being forensically analysed.

Questions were allegedly supplied to candidates in printed form before the examination. Around 60 to 80 questions from each question paper were allegedly leaked.

The alleged question leakage took place at three villas in Orchid Nirvana gated community near Devanahalli, according to the investigation. Candidates were allegedly taken to the villas, where five of them were made to practise answering the leaked questions.

Investigators identified the printing press where the question papers were printed and questioned its representative.

Gangwar, who was arrested on August 29, has been questioned in connection with the alleged leak.

The CID searched his residence and seized documents from the KPSC and MSME Department offices. The CID has also prepared a mahazar at the location where Gangwar allegedly destroyed a tablet that was used to photograph the question papers and transfer them to a pendrive.

Internet Protocol Detail Records (IPDR) analysis has allegedly established communication between Gangwar and Kannale before and after the examination. The CID has also identified an apartment in Devanahalli belonging to Gangwar’s brother Kamalapati Gangwar. The key to the apartment was allegedly recovered from Kannale’s residence, and CCTV footage from the premises has been collected.

The CID also searched Kannale’s dairy farm in Bhalki, Bidar, and the Sri Siddheshwari Souharda Cooperative Bank in Bhalki. The CID has also questioned Omkar Kamshetti, vice-president of Om Lakshmi Souharda Cooperative Society, and allegedly found financial links between him and Kannale.

The CID has also sought copies of documents and other materials seized by the Enforcement Directorate.

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