KPSC recruitment scam: Bengaluru court denies bail to suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar

A Bengaluru court on Friday rejected the bail plea of suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) veterinary officer recruitment scam case [Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar v. State of Karnataka].

Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Nirmala Devi S observed that the prosecution had placed prima facie material showing a money trail between Gangwar and another accused.

"The investigation is still pending and there is a possibility of destroying evidence and influencing further investigation...

The documents establish prima facie materials against the petitioner that he had contact with accused No.6 (Basavaraj Kannale) and also there is money trail traced by the respondent between accused No.5 and 6 and the candidates,” the court observed.

The case concerns alleged irregularities in the KPSC recruitment examination for 400 veterinary officer posts. The complaint alleged that relatives of KPSC officials secured unusually high marks, that some candidates were allegedly given access to the question paper before the examination and that OMR sheets were tampered with. Middlemen allegedly approached candidates and promised to secure appointments for ₹70-80 lakh, allegedly by manipulating their OMR marks.

It is alleged that Gangwar and Tumkur University syndicate member Basavaraj Kannale conspired to leak the question paper and collect bribes from candidates.

Gangwar is accused of offences under Section 318(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 10 of the Karnataka Public Examinations (Measures for Prevention of Corruption and Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023.

The court noted that the prosecution had relied on bank account statements and a money trail concerning transactions allegedly involving Kannale.

It further noted the prosecution's allegation that Gangwar thereafter used the money towards purchasing gold jewellery worth ₹52.30 lakh from Bhima Jewellers. The court also considered photographs and receipts produced by the prosecution in relation to the alleged jewellery purchases.

“The said documents are subject to trial. However the said photograph coupled with copies of receipts would make out a prima facie case regarding money trail traced to accused No.6,” the judge said.

The prosecution had submitted that the place where the question papers were allegedly handed over to Kannale had been identified and that a Xiaomi tablet allegedly used in the commission of the offence had been destroyed. The court recorded that the prosecution had alleged Gangwar's involvement in destruction of the device.

It also noted that forensic analysis of seized material was still pending and that statements of candidates and witnesses had not yet been completed.

Further, the court took note of the prosecution's claim that an agency operated by Kannale had booked air tickets for Gangwar and his family members. According to the material placed before the court, 54 bookings were made in Gangwar's name and 11 in the name of Yashi Jaiswal, with the alleged expenditure on the tickets amounting to ₹11.37 lakh. The court also referred to internet and phone call records showing contact between Gangwar and Kannale.

The court denied bail Gangwar bail on medical grounds, finding that the claim was not supported by records placed before it.

Advocate Nishith Kumar Shetty appeared for Gangwar.

Gangwar, currently in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), is set to be produced before a court on today as his 6-day ED custody ends.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar to investigate the alleged KPSC recruitment irregularities, with the team taking over the probe from the CID.

[Read Judgment]