Court extends ED custody of Karnataka IAS officer by eight days

A Bengaluru court has extended the Enforcement Directorate’s custody of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar by eight days in a probe into alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission recruitment process. Gangwar was arrested by the ED a week earlier and had initially been remanded to six days of agency custody. He was produced before the court on Saturday, when the ED sought additional time for its investigation.

The agency told the court that its inquiry had uncovered information beyond the findings of the Criminal Investigation Department in the alleged irregularities concerning the Veterinary Officers’ Recruitment Examination. The ED reportedly submitted its findings in a sealed cover. The agency said it suspected irregularities in multiple recruitment examinations and needed further custody to investigate an alleged money trail and other aspects of the case.

During an earlier hearing, the ED alleged that Basavaraj Kannale, whom it described as a key suspect and an associate of Gangwar, had told investigators that some candidates allegedly paid as much as ₹1.5 crore. The agency further alleged that Kannale handed ₹1.3 crore in cash to Gangwar. The ED has opened a money-laundering investigation under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

It also alleges that Gangwar gave Kannale question papers and answers on an HP pendrive on January 7, two days before the examination. A separate CID investigation reportedly found that about 60 to 80 questions were leaked and that around five candidates were allegedly given practice in answering them. The allegations remain under investigation, and the custody extension does not establish guilt.