Back
Court Denies Bail to IAS Officer Gyanendra Gangwar in KPSC Veterinary Officer Recruitment Scam
Bengaluru's LI Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge Smt. Nirmala Devi S. on Friday rejected the petition of suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, arraigned as Accused No. 5 in the alleged Veterinary Officer recruitment scam. The court observed that the prosecution had placed material establishing a and contact between Gangwar and co-accused Basavaraj Kannale, and that the investigation was at a crucial stage.
A Recruitment Process Under Scrutiny
The case stems from KPSC's notification dated for recruiting 400 Veterinary Officers. Competitive examinations were held on 8 and , with the final merit list published on . Suspicion arose when several candidates linked to KPSC officials secured unusually high marks, while meritorious aspirants — including gold medalists and those who cleared the UPSC examinations — failed to secure even 350 marks. Allegations included question paper leaks, training of candidates at hotels and resorts, and distribution of pre-answered OMR sheets. The FIR, registered as Crime No. 89/2026 by the and now investigated by the , invokes , and .
Arguments and Counter-Arguments
Gangwar, a former Controller of Examination at KPSC, contended that he voluntarily appeared before the investigating agency on 27, 28, and pursuant to notice under . He claimed he was abruptly arrested on 29 August and taken into police custody until 9 September, after which he remained in . His counsel argued that the case was based entirely on documentary and electronic evidence already seized and sent for , leaving no scope for . The defense also raised serious health concerns: Gangwar is a testicular cancer survivor, has undergone two surgeries, and suffers from hypertension, asthma, chronic liver condition, and severe lumbar spinal degeneration requiring immediate surgery.
The prosecution, led by Public Prosecutor, strongly opposed the bail. It was argued that Gangwar, as a senior IAS officer, could influence witnesses and destroy evidence. The presented a detailed : candidates deposited over ₹70 lakh into accounts of , from which funds were transferred to for gold jewellery purchases amounting to ₹52.30 lakh — allegedly purchased in the name of Gangwar's associate Ms. Yashi Jaiswal. The prosecution also produced IPDR extracts showing frequent phone contact between Gangwar and Kannale, and records of 54 flight bookings in Gangwar's name and 11 in Ms. Jaiswal's name, totaling ₹11.37 lakh, allegedly paid by Kannale through his enterprise, .
Court's Reasoning: Case and Risk
After hearing both sides, the court meticulously examined the evidence. It observed that the prosecution had made out a case against Gangwar, particularly regarding the linking him to Kannale and the candidates. The judgment notes:
"The prosecution has made-out acase regarding the alleged offence against the petitioner... if he is released on bail, as he is an IAS Officer there is possibility of influencing further investigation."
The court also took note of the allegation that a Xiaomi tablet used in the offence had been destroyed, and that the investigation into statements of candidates and witnesses was still pending. Relying on such as and , the court emphasized that the gravity of the offence and the stage of investigation warranted denial of bail.
Medical Grounds Insufficient
The defense's plea for bail on medical grounds was also turned down. The court noted that despite claims of serious conditions requiring immediate spinal surgery, no medical records were placed on record. It stated:
"The petitioner has failed to establish that he is suffering from serious medical condition and requires medication and immediate surgery i.e.,. Hence the said ground is not established."
Final Order
In a detailed order dated , Judge Nirmala Devi S. concluded that Gangwar had not made out valid grounds for . Rejecting the petition under , the court directed that the IAS officer remain in as the investigation continues. The development adds to mounting scrutiny of the KPSC recruitment process, with the having already constituted a led by senior IPS officer Alok Kumar to probe the irregularities.
