Karnataka: HC sets up SIT to probe KPSC recruitment irregularities

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by DGP (Prisons & Correctional Services) Alok Kumar, to probe alleged large scale irregularities in recruitment conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Justice M Nagaprasanna directed the SIT to take over the investigation from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which has been probing the case involving recruitment of 400 veterinary officers. The court also directed the CID to hand over all case records to the SIT within a week.

The Court asked the SIT to complete its investigation in 100 days and submit a report, with progress reports filed every 30 days. The court also directed government departments, investigative agencies and public authorities to assist the SIT with the investigation.


The case relates to allegations of question-paper leakage and manipulation of examination records and OMR sheets in the veterinary officer recruitment process. The CID had arrested 2016-batch IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who served as KPSC Controller of Examinations from February 2024 to March 2026, in connection with the case.

The Enforcement Directorate has also initiated a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged recruitment irregularities. Recent investigations have focused on alleged payments by candidates to a middleman and the flow of those funds.