CID Arrests IAS Officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar in KPSC Recruitment Case

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Sunday arrested 2016-batch IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar in Bengaluru in connection with alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Gangwar was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon after investigators found him evasive during questioning over the previous two days. Following a medical examination later in the evening, he was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. CID officials stated that the arrest was made based on prima facie evidence and confirmed that further investigation is underway.

The arrest followed search operations conducted on August 25 at premises linked to Gangwar, after which the CID summoned him for questioning. Gangwar served as the Controller of Examination at the KPSC from February 2024 to March 2026 before being transferred to the post of Director, MSME, in June this year.

The Enforcement Directorate has also been investigating the KPSC irregularities separately. The central agency previously searched premises linked to Gangwar in Bengaluru as well as his hometown of Bareilly, and issued notices for questioning to which he had not yet responded.

The KPSC has been facing intense scrutiny over allegations of malpractice in the final selection process for the Veterinary Officers' Recruitment Exam, which was conducted to fill 400 posts in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. An FIR was registered at the Vidhana Soudha police station following complaints by veterinary doctors who appeared for the test.

Allegations surrounding the recruitment process include bribery and claims that multiple candidates were taken to a resort where they were provided with question papers and answers. Several candidates who secured top marks are suspected to be relatives of senior KPSC officials. The state government transferred the probe to the CID on July 28.

Earlier, on July 10, the Vidhana Soudha police had also registered an FIR against Suma S Sahukar, the daughter of KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, for allegedly submitting a false income certificate under the 3B reservation category.