IAS officer suspended after arrest over KPSC recruitment exam row

The Karnataka government has suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar after his arrest in a case involving alleged corruption in recruitment conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission

The Karnataka government has suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar after his arrest in a case involving alleged corruption in recruitment conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission.

India News

Gangwar, a 2016 batch IAS officer serving as Director of MSME, was arrested on August 29 in a case registered at Vidhana Soudha police station. He had earlier served as Controller of Examinations at the KPSC.

The suspension follows investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department and the Directorate of Enforcement. In a letter dated August 23, the ED’s Bengaluru Zonal Office told the state government that material seized under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act indicated that “instances of corruption were prevalent in the recruitment processes conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission, which is solely attributable to the Controller of Examinations of the KPSC (i.e.) Sri Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, IAS”.

The criminal case, registered as Crime No. 89/2026 at Vidhana Soudha police station, was filed under Section 318(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 10 of the Karnataka Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Corruption and Unfair Means in Recruitment) Act, 2023.

After his arrest, Gangwar “was produced before the jurisdictional Magistrate and was remanded to Judicial Custody on 30.08.2026”. He was taken into police custody on August 31 for further investigation.

The government said his detention for more than 48 hours amounted to a “gross violation of Rule 3 of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968”.

An order issued by T. Mahanthesh, Under Secretary to Government in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, said: “THEREFORE, in exercise of the powers conferred under Rule 3(2) read with 3(3) of the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, Sri Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, IAS (KN: 2016), is placed under suspension with immediate effect and until further orders, pending further investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department.”

Gangwar will receive a subsistence allowance under Rule 4 of the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, during his suspension.

The government has also directed that “the officer shall not leave the headquarters under any circumstances without the written permission of the State Government”.