KPSC recruitment scam: ‘₹20–40 lakh bribes for leaked answer keys’

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Udyoga Soudha, the Karnataka Public Service Commission headquarters in Bengaluru. The ED said certain candidates were allegedly provided the correct answer keys a day before the Veterinary Officers’ examination on January 8, 2026, in return for bribes. | Photo Credit: File Photo

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), which is probing the alleged manipulation of the recruitment examination for 400 Veterinary Officer posts, has said the alleged modus operandi included leaking question papers and candidate-specific answer keys, and misusing the confidential 1:3 merit list to demand money from candidates.

The ED said certain candidates were allegedly provided the correct answer keys a day before the Veterinary Officers’ examination, on January 8, 2026, in return for bribes ranging from ₹20 lakh to ₹40 lakh.

Investigators allege that Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) member B.V. Geetha obtained the leaked answer keys from Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, IAS, then Controller of Examinations (CoE), KPSC, who was responsible for confidential examination material. Gangwar allegedly accessed the jumbled question papers and answer keys and provided Geetha with the correct answers to the first 80 questions.

The ED alleged that Geetha collected ₹20 lakh in cash as an advance from one candidate against an agreed bribe of ₹40 lakh, while Sahukar allegedly collected ₹10 lakh as an advance against an agreed ₹20 lakh bribe from another candidate.

So far, six candidates who secured high scores in the final selection list have been identified, with the ED saying further investigation is underway to identify all beneficiaries.

The ED had earlier seized blank signed cheques worth ₹80 lakh and blank signed promissory notes from one successful candidate.

Investigators also found that 10 successful candidates were allegedly taken to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru a day before the examination, where they were given a question paper containing the correct answer options for 80 questions and allegedly made to memorise them.

The ED alleged that the marked question paper was leaked by Gangwar through his close associate Basavaraj Kannale. Kannale allegedly collected ₹40 lakh to ₹50 lakh from each candidate in return for facilitating their final selection.

Gangwar and Kannale were arrested by the ED on September 18 and September 17, respectively, and were earlier remanded to ED custody for 14 days. Gangwar was subsequently sent to judicial custody.

The investigation has also revealed an alleged second method of extracting money from candidates.

The ED said KPSC normally does not disclose individual marks when publishing the 1:3 eligibility list. However, certain KPSC members and officials allegedly accessed confidential merit positions from the CoE’s office and assessed which candidates were likely to make the final selection.

The accused allegedly used this confidential information to approach candidates and assure them of selection in exchange for bribes ranging from ₹10 lakh to ₹50 lakh, depending on the post.