A Bengaluru court has declined to grant bail to suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar in the case concerning alleged manipulation of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment examination for veterinary officers.
Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge S Nirmala Devi held that the material placed before the court disclosed a prima facie money trail connecting Gangwar with another accused in the case. The court also noted that the investigation was still underway and that releasing him at this stage could affect the probe.
The case relates to the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers through a KPSC examination. Investigators have alleged that certain candidates were given access to the question paper before the test and that OMR answer sheets were subsequently manipulated to alter marks.
The allegations further include claims that middlemen approached candidates with assurances of securing appointments in exchange for payments of around ₹70 lakh to ₹80 lakh.
Gangwar has been accused of conspiring with Basavaraj Kannale, a syndicate member of Tumkur University, in connection with the alleged question-paper leak and collection of money from candidates.
The court referred to bank statements and other documents relied upon by the prosecution to establish the alleged flow of money between the accused and candidates.
Investigators have also alleged that part of the money was used to purchase gold jewellery worth ₹52.30 lakh from Bhima Jewellers. Photographs and purchase receipts were placed before the court. While the judge noted that these materials would ultimately be tested during trial, they were considered sufficient at the present stage to indicate a prima facie money trail.
The court also took note of the prosecution’s allegation that a Xiaomi tablet allegedly connected with the offence had been destroyed. Investigators claimed that the location where the question papers were allegedly handed over to Kannale had been identified and that Gangwar was involved in the destruction of the device.
With forensic examination of seized material yet to be completed and statements from candidates and other witnesses still being recorded, the court found that the investigation had not reached its conclusion.
Another aspect considered by the court was alleged travel expenditure. According to the prosecution, an agency linked to Kannale had arranged 54 air-ticket bookings in Gangwar’s name and another 11 in the name of Yashi Jaiswal. The total expenditure was alleged to be ₹11.37 lakh.
Call and internet records were also cited by the prosecution to establish contact between Gangwar and Kannale.
Gangwar had additionally sought bail on medical grounds. The court, however, found that the medical claim was not adequately supported by the material produced before it and rejected the request.
Gangwar is currently in Enforcement Directorate custody. His six-day custody period is ending, following which he is expected to be produced before the court.
The wider KPSC recruitment probe is being handled by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the Karnataka High Court. The SIT, headed by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar, took over the investigation from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The allegations against Gangwar and the other accused remain subject to the outcome of the ongoing investigation and trial.