ED summons IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar; CID issues notices to 329 KPSC candidates

BENGALURU: In a significant development in the KPSC Veterinary Officers exam irregularities case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who was the controller of the examination. He was instructed to appear for questioning at the ED office in Shantinagar, Bengaluru at 11 am on Tuesday.

Simultaneously, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has issued notice again to 329 candidates in KPSC recruitment scam case to appear for inquiry on Tuesday itself. The notices were issued in background of the candidates’ confession before the Enforcement Directorate.

Recently, ED officials had conducted raids at several places in connection with the Veterinary Officers exam irregularities. Searches were conducted at houses and premises related to suspended KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar, some middlemen, and candidates. During this time, it is said that information and documents regarding the connection of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar, who was the Controller of Examinations, to the case have become available to the investigating agency.

At the time of the ED raids, Gyanendra Kumar had escaped from Bengaluru from his Jayamahal residence on the pretext of his father’s ill health. In this background, the other day ED officials also raided his residence in Jayamahal and examined documents.

Gyanendra Kumar has been issued summons to appear for interrogation at the Shantinagar ED office at 11 am on Tuesday morning. His mobile was switched off for the last three days, but information is available that the mobile has been switched on since yesterday.

It is said that ED officials have collected important documents regarding the role and connection of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar in the Veterinary Officers exam irregularities case, and today’s interrogation has gained even more importance.

Meanwhile, the CID on Tuesday raided KPSC central office to verify documents and tight police security was seen in front of the KPSC office with police putting up barricades.

The CID had conducted raid in first week of August and OMR copies of 329 candidates and footage captured in CCTV camera installed in the Commission’s office were seized by investigation team and sent to the forensic laboratory.

The second raid came in background of primary lapse found in OMR sheet which had already been seized. The forensic lab had expressed suspicion about OMR sheets and hence, the CID conducted a raid again and seized additional documents.