KPSC recruitment scam: ED arrests suspended chairperson, member; ₹20–40 lakh bribe for leaked answer keys
The Enforcement Directorate arrested the chairperson and a member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission for their involvement in a recruitment scam. The officials allegedly leaked answer keys and manipulated merit lists for Veterinary Officer posts in exchange for bribes.
Why it matters
This case exposes deep-seated corruption in public sector recruitment, undermining the integrity of government hiring processes.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested suspended Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairperson Shivashankarappa Sahukar and KPSC member B.V. Geetha in connection with alleged manipulation of the recruitment examination for 400 Veterinary Officer posts, including the leakage of candidate-specific answer keys and exploitation of confidential merit-list data to collect bribes.
The duo were arrested on October 6 after the ED searched their premises under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). They were produced in the Special Court for PMLA cases (CCH-4) on October 7, which granted the ED 14 days’ custody of both accused.
According to the ED, its investigation has uncovered an organised mechanism through which KPSC officials and members allegedly generated proceeds of crime by manipulating recruitment examinations.
The alleged modus operandi included leakage of question papers, leakage of candidate-specific answer keys, and misuse of the confidential 1:3 merit list to demand money from candidates.
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