Karnataka recruitment exam scam: Officials promised selection for Rs 50 lakh bribe

Ten candidates appearing for a Karnataka government recruitment exam were allegedly taken to a resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru a day before the test in January and given the correct answers to 80 questions in exchange for bribes of up to Rs 50 lakh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said.The candidates were appearing for the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Veterinary Officers' recruitment examination for 400 posts on January 8-9 this year. According to the ED, the candidates were taken to a resort or Airbnb villa where they were given a question paper containing 80 questions along with the correct answer options and were asked to memorise them.The paper was allegedly leaked by then KPSC Controller of Examinations Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, an IAS officer, through his associate Basavaraj Kannale, the ED said. Kannale allegedly collected between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 50 lakh from each candidate in return for facilitating their final selection in the recruitment examination.The ED had earlier seized blank signed cheques worth Rs 80 lakh and blank signed promissory notes from one of the successful candidates. In its investigation so far, the probe agency identified 10 successful candidates who were allegedly provided the leaked material. It also found that six candidates received candidate-specific answer keys shortly before the examination in exchange for bribes ranging from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 40 lakh.The ED had arrested Gangwar and Kannale in connection with the alleged exam-rigging case. Gangwar was arrested on September 18, while Kannale was arrested a day earlier. The ED had also arrested suspended KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and KPSC member BV Geetha. The agency alleged that Geetha obtained leaked answer keys from Gangwar and collected Rs 20 lakh as an advance from one candidate against an agreed bribe of Rs 40 lakh. Sahukar allegedly collected Rs 10 lakh as an advance against an agreed Rs 20 lakh bribe.The investigation also uncovered alleged misuse of KPSC's confidential 1:3 merit list. Officials allegedly accessed candidates' merit positions and approached those likely to be selected, demanding between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh in exchange for assuring their selection, the probe agency said.- Ends