KPSC Veterinary Recruitment Scam: Candidate’s Statement and Call Records Allegedly Link Suspended IAS Officer Gangwar to Middleman
A candidate’s statement has reportedly emerged as an important lead in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) veterinary officer recruitment case, with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) allegedly using details provided by the candidate along with call-record analysis to trace a possible link between suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and alleged middleman Basavaraj Kannale.
The investigation relates to alleged irregularities in the recruitment of around 400 veterinary officers through the KPSC examination process. Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, was serving as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC from February 2024 to March 2026, the period during which the recruitment process was conducted.
Gangwar was arrested by the CID on August 29 following questioning in connection with the case and was subsequently suspended by the Karnataka government. The investigation has since widened, with officials examining allegations involving payments for selection, possible question-paper leakage, manipulation of OMR answer sheets and the involvement of intermediaries.
Candidate Allegedly Offered Selection for ₹40 Lakh
According to investigators, Mohammed Suhail Bandengol, a candidate who was selected for the veterinary officer post, provided information to the police that became a significant lead in the investigation.
Suhail reportedly told investigators that he received a WhatsApp call in December 2025 from an unidentified person who allegedly offered to ensure his selection in the recruitment process in return for ₹40 lakh. The candidate is said to have agreed to the arrangement, following which he allegedly paid ₹20 lakh as an advance.
The remaining ₹20 lakh, according to the allegations under investigation, was supposed to be paid after the selection list was announced. The testimony reportedly gave investigators a specific communication trail to examine and helped them move beyond the initial allegation of a payment-for-selection deal.
The candidate’s statement is now being examined alongside other evidence gathered by the investigating agency. As with the other allegations in the case, the claims remain part of an ongoing investigation and will have to be established through evidence and due legal process.
Call Records Allegedly Point to Basavaraj Kannale
The investigation then reportedly moved toward identifying the person who had contacted the candidate. CID officials are said to have examined technical evidence, including call-detail records, to establish the identity of the person behind the alleged offer.
According to the investigation, the number and communication details examined by the CID allegedly led them to Basavaraj Kannale, who has been described as a middleman in the recruitment case.
Investigators subsequently examined Kannale’s communication records and allegedly found that he had been in frequent contact with Gangwar. This development is understood to have increased the investigators’ interest in the possible connection between the suspended IAS officer and the alleged intermediary.
Gangwar, however, has denied having any contact with Kannale, according to the report. The alleged communication link is therefore one of the aspects that investigators are continuing to examine as they build the case.
Gangwar Was KPSC Controller of Examinations
The role of Gangwar has attracted particular attention because of the position he held at the KPSC during the recruitment process. He served as Controller of Examinations from February 2024 until March 2026, covering the period when the veterinary officer recruitment examination was conducted.
The Controller of Examinations is responsible for important aspects of the examination system, making the position particularly relevant in any investigation concerning alleged manipulation or irregularities in a recruitment examination.
The CID’s probe is not limited to whether money was allegedly exchanged in return for selection. Investigators are also looking into whether there were other forms of interference with the examination process and whether more individuals may have played a role.
Gangwar’s arrest on August 29 followed his questioning by the CID. His subsequent suspension by the Karnataka government added another administrative dimension to the criminal investigation.
Probe Expands to Question Paper and OMR Allegations
The alleged payment-for-selection arrangement is only one part of the wider investigation. CID officials are also examining allegations of question-paper leakage and manipulation of OMR answer sheets in the veterinary officer recruitment examination.
Any such manipulation, if established, could have serious implications for the credibility of the recruitment process because OMR-based examinations depend heavily on the integrity of answer-sheet handling, evaluation and result preparation.
Reports have also suggested that some candidates were allegedly taken to resorts for sessions linked to the examination. Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding these reported gatherings and whether they had any connection with the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
The CID is now attempting to piece together these different strands to determine whether they form part of a coordinated recruitment racket or represent separate instances of wrongdoing.
Middleman Kannale Also Arrested
Basavaraj Kannale, who investigators allegedly identified through the candidate’s communication trail, has also been arrested in connection with the case.
According to reports, Kannale was detained at Delhi airport amid allegations that he was attempting to leave the country. His detention added urgency to the investigation, particularly as investigators were examining his alleged communications with candidates and other individuals connected with the recruitment process.
A Bengaluru court subsequently granted the CID custody of both Gangwar and Kannale for further questioning and investigation. The custodial interrogation is expected to help investigators examine the alleged financial transactions, communication records and possible links between different individuals involved in the recruitment process.
The agency is also examining whether other candidates may have received similar offers or whether additional payments were made in connection with the recruitment.
Technical Evidence Under Examination
The reported use of call-detail records in the case highlights the growing importance of technical evidence in investigations involving alleged recruitment fraud. Investigators can use communication records to establish patterns of contact and identify links between individuals, although such records by themselves do not necessarily establish the substance or purpose of a conversation.
In this case, the alleged sequence is that a candidate provided information about an unidentified person who had contacted him, investigators traced the communication to Kannale and then examined Kannale’s alleged contacts with Gangwar.
The CID is now expected to correlate these records with statements, financial information and other evidence collected during the investigation. Establishing the nature of any alleged relationship between the accused persons will be crucial as the case progresses.
Around 400 Veterinary Officer Posts Under Scanner
The recruitment exercise under investigation involved around 400 veterinary officer positions, making the alleged irregularities potentially significant in terms of their impact on candidates and the integrity of the selection process.
For candidates who participated in a competitive government examination, allegations of question-paper leakage, manipulated answer sheets or payments for selection raise concerns about whether the recruitment process was conducted fairly. The investigation will therefore be closely watched not only for its findings against individual accused persons but also for any action concerning the validity of the recruitment process itself.
The CID is continuing to investigate the alleged roles of people connected with the examination and recruitment exercise. Officials are also looking into whether the suspected network extended beyond Gangwar and Kannale.
Investigation Still Underway
At this stage, the allegations against Gangwar, Kannale and any other individuals remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings. Gangwar has denied contact with Kannale, while the prosecution and investigators are expected to rely on documentary, technical, financial and other evidence to establish their respective cases.
The candidate’s testimony and the subsequent analysis of call records have reportedly provided investigators with an important investigative trail. What began with an alleged offer of selection for ₹40 lakh has now developed into a wider probe involving questions about the examination process, possible intermediaries and alleged links within the KPSC system.
As the CID continues its investigation, the focus is likely to remain on establishing how the alleged recruitment network operated, whether money changed hands in other cases, whether examination material or OMR sheets were manipulated, and whether additional officials or intermediaries were involved.
The outcome of those investigations, along with the evidence presented before the court, will ultimately determine the legal responsibility of the accused in the KPSC veterinary officer recruitment case.
