Leaked KPSC paper, then ‘training’ at Bengaluru resorts: ED details exam fraud

Gangwar had been at the center of the controversy following ED’s raids at his residence in Uttar Pradesh and Bengaluru, linking him to the recruitment scam.

The IAS officer accused of leaking the KPSC veterinary officer examination question paper and the middleman allegedly involved in selling it to candidates were part of a scheme in which a few of them were taken to a Bengaluru resort and trained, the Enforcement Directorate said Wednesday.

ED’s Bengaluru Zonal Office, investigating the alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission vet exam, said Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, the then controller of examination, leaked the question paper a day before the exam.

KPSC had held the exam to fill up 400 posts for veterinary officers on January 8 and 9 this year. Out of 1,400 candidates who appeared for the exam, 329 were selected.

The alleged irregularities came to light after an unsuccessful candidate, Dr S Manjunath, filed a First Information Report (FIR) on July 24. Manjunath alleged that 29 candidates with poor academic records scored above 450 out of 600 marks to secure seats.

ED and the Karnataka Police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) have arrested Gangwar and Kannale for further investigation.

Meanwhile, a statistical probability test conducted by CID has found a 99.9 per cent match in the correct and wrong answers of 14 top-ranking candidates across two KPSC veterinary officer exams held on January 9, suggesting they may have benefited from the allegedly leaked question paper, The Indian Express has learnt.

Preliminary analysis also put the likelihood at 99 per cent that the 14 candidates received the paper before the exam, according to sources.

Training KPSC candidates

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ED said Kannale got the leaked question paper through his close association with Gangwar, who was entrusted with the custody and supervision of confidential exam material.

Gangwar allegedly misused his official position and gave Kannale the question paper with the correct answers a day before the scheduled exam in exchange for a bribe.

The agency said Kannale identified and approached multiple candidates and assured them of selection. The middleman, along with his associates, allegedly provided the leaked question paper with the correct answers in exchange for money.

The investigation has also revealed that the selected candidates were taken to resorts on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where they were given the leaked question paper with answers.

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Kannale and his associates made the candidates memorise the answers under their supervision. On the day of the exam, the candidates were transported to their respective centres in vehicles arranged by Kannale or his associates, ED said.

How money was secured, transferred

ED said, based on the seized materials and documents, it has found that the money collected was used through various modes, including bank transfers, purchase of jewellery, cash payment for air travel, and cash transactions.

The agency said Kannale demanded Rs 80 lakh from each candidate but later negotiated and settled at amounts ranging from Rs 30 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. He collected portions of the agreed amounts as advance through cash and banking channels, ED added.

To secure the balance amounts, some candidates were made to furnish blank signed cheques and promissory notes, some of which were later recovered and seized during the searches.

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Investigation further revealed that the bank account of Om Lakshmi Souharda Sahakari Sangha Niyamitha, Bidar, was used to receive some of the money.