The KPSC recruitment scam investigation has widened after a Bengaluru special court remanded former Karnataka Public Service Commission chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar and member B V Geetha to Enforcement Directorate custody until October 19. The agency alleges that examination results were manipulated and candidates were asked to pay large sums for advance access to question papers or favourable recruitment outcomes. Investigators are examining alleged irregularities across more than 13 examinations, including discrepancies in candidates’ academic and recruitment test scores. The allegations remain under investigation.
KPSC Recruitment Scam Probe Deepens With Former Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and BV Geetha in ED Custody
Former chairman of the KPSC, Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, and member B V Geetha have been sent to the custody of the ED until October 19 in an alleged case of manipulation of examinations and illegal transfer of money.
The KPSC recruitment scam probe widened with a special court in Bengaluru sending former Karnataka Public Service Commission chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar and member B V Geetha to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate.
The Special CCH4 Court, which handles cases concerning CBI, ED, and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, allowed the investigators to quiz both the accused till October 19.
The Enforcement Directorate had sought custody of the accused, alleging manipulation of examination results, illegal collections from candidates and a wider network of recruitment involving more than 13 examinations.
The details of the investigation submitted before the court said Sahukar and Geetha were arrested on Tuesday night from their houses at Dollars Colony in Sanjaynagar in Bengaluru.
The arrests are part of an ED probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act into alleged bribery, irregularities in examinations and illegal transfers related to KPSC recruitments.
Candidates are said to have been asked to pay between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh in advance for question papers and answers, the agency said.
The ED also alleged that some selected candidates were asked to pay as high as Rs 70 lakh to get full question papers ahead of the examinations.
ED cites examination result discrepancies
Reports said that investigators pointed to disparities in examination results as evidence that required further investigation. The discrepancies between academic records and KPSC exam scores were considerable.
The agency mentioned candidates with a good academic record, including qualifiers of the Indian Forest Service exam and gold medalists from universities, who are said to have scored around 350 marks.
The ED claimed that the candidates who scored comparatively weaker marks in the degree examination allegedly scored as high as 450 marks in the KPSC examination.
The agency has also alleged that Sahukar had telephonic communication with some selected candidates on January 8, 2026, a day before the examination of veterinary officers.
The veterinary officers’ examination took place on January 9, 2026, and investigators apparently have details of those conversations as well as other evidence.
The claims are part of a wider probe into whether examination procedures were fixed and whether illegal payments were linked to hiring outcomes.
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Alleged network reportedly operated near Devanahalli
The ED said the alleged operation was run from three villas in a gated community near Devanahalli, from where answers were allegedly given to candidates before examinations.
The investigators also alleged that candidates were transported to the examination centres in private vehicles, suggesting an organised mechanism behind the recruitment process.
The agency is also relying on the statement of suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who was earlier the Examination Controller at KPSC.
Gangwar has been arrested in the case, and the ED has alleged that during interrogation of Gangwar, he had revealed the involvement of Sahukar and several KPSC members.
Gangwar’s statement also said that such malpractice may have been rampant in more than 13 KPSC recruitment examinations since 2022, the agency said.
The allegations are still being investigated and judicially processed, and the custody order will give the investigators more time to look into the evidence and find the role of each individual.
What the ED investigation may examine next
The ED told the court that custodial interrogation of Sahukar and Geetha was needed to establish their alleged roles and identify other participants.
Investigators are also trying to trace the alleged movement of illicit money and determine whether money collected from candidates was funnelled through broader channels.
The case has broader implications for the credibility of competitive recruitment examinations, particularly in allegations of manipulation that might impact candidates looking for government jobs.
The developments now will depend on the evidence gathered during custodial interrogation, the findings of the subsequent investigation and the proceedings before the competent court.
Sprouts News will keep covering the KPSC recruitment scam investigation as the authorities examine the claims, the financial dealings and the possible involvement of other individuals.
