The investigation into the KPSC recruitment scam involving veterinary officer appointments has uncovered a major financial trail, with the CID reportedly identifying transactions involving crores of rupees across 35 bank accounts. The investigation concerns IAS officer Gnanendra Kumar Gangadhar and middleman Basavaraj Kanhale, who are accused of manipulating the recruitment process. Investigators have frozen all 35 accounts and are now working to trace the origin and movement of the money.
As per TV9 Kannada reports, the investigation found that candidates were asked to pay an initial amount of ₹30–40 lakh, which was first transferred into accounts controlled by intermediaries and then routed through multiple accounts. As per the investigations, the accused deliberately used several bank accounts to avoid attracting attention to unusually large transactions in a single account. The investigation is now examining the complete financial trail to determine how much money was collected, who received it, and where the funds were ultimately transferred.
The case relates to recruitment for 400 veterinary officer posts, for which a notification was issued in July 2024. Around 2,000 applications were reportedly received. Investigators state that the accused exploited access to candidates’ application details and mobile numbers. According to the reported findings, Gnanendra Kumar Gangadhar provided candidates’ personal information and phone numbers to Kanhale, who then approached selected candidates through intermediaries, promising to secure appointments in exchange for large sums of money. Candidates considered financially capable of paying were specifically targeted.
The operation appears to have involved more than simply collecting money. Candidates who agreed to the proposed deals were reportedly called to Kanhale’s apartment for direct discussions. Those agreeing to pay ₹70–80 lakh were subsequently directed to make payments through arrangements handled by his brother Prashanth. Investigators have also reportedly uncovered allegations of promises of training, access to examination-related information, question paper leakage before the examination, and manipulation of OMR answer sheets. If established, such allegations would point to a deeply organized recruitment racket rather than an isolated instance of malpractice.
The investigation has also taken a broader turn, with CID officials reportedly conducting searches linked to the accused and examining potential evidence related to the question paper leak and financial transactions. Meanwhile, the FIR’s naming of 29 candidates who reportedly passed the examination has generated further controversy. The report states that friends and relatives of some candidates contacted and threatened a person involved in raising questions about the recruitment process. Audio recordings of threats have reportedly circulated on social media, with threats ranging from abusive language and intimidation to warnings of legal action.
The revelations underline the seriousness of allegations surrounding the recruitment process. A government recruitment examination is ultimately a test of merit, fairness, and public trust; if appointments can be bought for tens of lakhs of rupees, the damage extends far beyond individual candidates. It undermines the confidence of thousands of legitimate aspirants who prepare for years believing that their performance will determine their future. The CID investigation must therefore establish the complete money trail, identify every person involved, determine whether examination material or OMR sheets were compromised, and ensure that anyone responsible faces the consequences under the law. Recruitment to public service cannot become a marketplace where money decides who gets a government job.
The Congress party, CJP, Rahul Gandhi, and Abhijit Dipke, who were vocal in raising allegations of exam and paper leaks, are now conspicuously silent when a much larger situation has emerged in their own Congress-ruled Karnataka. What is happening in Karnataka is far more concerning, with seats and positions being sold for lakhs of rupees. Where is Congress’s outrage now? Where are the lectures on reservations, students’ rights, and the economically weaker sections? The party appears silent when a major recruitment scam is unfolding under its own government’s watch. This is nothing but dirty politics, and hardworking students ultimately pay the price. Students who spend years preparing for competitive examinations deserve a system based on merit, transparency, and fairness, not a system corrupted by money and political protection.
