A Bengaluru court has remanded suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar to six days of Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody, related to a money laundering investigation stemming from the alleged irregularities in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment. This development was ordered by XXI Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge and Special Judge for CBI and PMLA Cases, Manjunath Sangreshi, who decreed that Gangwar remain in ED custody until September 26.
Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar was brought before the court from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru, where he was previously under judicial custody. The ED petitioned for his custody to probe alleged offenses under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
During the court proceedings, Maheshwari D M, Special Public Prosecutor representing the ED, argued for a 14-day custodial remand of Gangwar. The remand was sought in connection with the purported leak of the Veterinary Officer recruitment examination question paper. In its application, the ED accused Gangwar of conspiring with Basavaraj Kannale, a member of the Tumkur University syndicate, to leak examination questions in exchange for bribes.
The ED’s allegations detailed that Kannale collected approximately ₹1.50 crore in bribes from candidates, claiming that ₹1.30 crore was given to Gangwar in cash. Furthermore, it was alleged that around ₹23 lakh was used to purchase gold jewelry for the former KPSC official. According to the ED, Gangwar allegedly handed over the question paper and answers to Kannale via an HP pen drive on January 7, 2026, two days before the exam on January 9.
The ED emphasized the necessity of custodial interrogation to trace the money trail, identify other potential accomplices, and verify the financial transactions involved. This case follows the earlier actions by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which secured a 10-day police custody of Gangwar and Kannale on August 31 for further investigation. Gangwar was initially arrested by the CID on August 30.
