ED raids KPSC in veterinary officer recruitment case in Karnataka

Officials of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) raided the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) and those accused of irregularities in the recruitment of Veterinary Officers, on August 18.

21 premises throughout Karnataka and Ahmedabad in Gujarat are being searched, ED stated on August 18 morning. The locations include the KPSC office in Bengaluru, the residence of suspended KPSC Chairperson Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, KPSC member Shanta Hosmani, alleged middlemen, selected candidates, and the premises of Edutest Solutions Private Limited, the agency responsible for digital evaluation of examination papers.

The searches are taking place in Bengaluru, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Raichur, Karwar, Kalaburagi and Belagavi, besides Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

The ED action follows four FIRs registered at Vidhana Soudha Police Station in Bengaluru alleging irregularities in the final selection process for Veterinary Officers. The probe into these cases had been handed over to the State’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

According to the complaints, alleged middlemen approached candidates, including the complainant, and demanded ₹70 lakh to ₹80 lakh per candidate in exchange for ensuring their selection. The complainant is said to have submitted to the investigating agency audio recordings of conversations with the alleged middlemen.

The allegations under investigation include question paper leakage, tampering with OMR answer sheets, manipulation of the evaluation process and facilitating the selection of relatives of KPSC office-holders.

The ED is examining the alleged money trail and financial transactions linked to the recruitment irregularities as part of its investigation under Section 17 of Prevention of Capital Laundering Act, 2002.