Published Aug 18, 2026 | 2:26 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 18, 2026 | 2:27 PM
Enforcement Directorate.
Synopsis: The ED searched 21 premises across Karnataka and Gujarat over alleged irregularities in KPSC’s recruitment of around 400 Veterinary Officers. The probe involves alleged bribes of ₹70-80 lakh per candidate, middlemen, institutional insiders and suspected examination manipulation, including question paper leaks, score inflation and OMR answer sheet tampering.
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday, August 18, conducted searches at 21 premises linked to former officials and others related to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) in connection with a case regarding the alleged irregularities in Veterinary Officers’ recruitment in the state.
Officials from the Bengaluru Zonal Office of the ED conducted searches at 21 locations in Karnataka and Gujarat. This includes several offices and residences linked to the KPSC, across Karnataka’s Bengaluru, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davangere, Raichur, Karwar, Kalaburgi, Belagavi, and Belgaum. The office premises of KPSC and Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd, the company responsible for digital evaluation of exam papers, were raided by the officers.
The residences of suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar, member Shanta Hosmani, alleged middlemen, and candidates selected for the post of Veterinary Officers were among the other sites searched by the ED officials.
The multi-city search and seizure action marks a significant escalation in the cash-for-jobs scandal that has gripped the KPSC.
The investigation centres on the recruitment examination for approximately 400 Veterinary Officers, which was completely halted following a series of alarming whistleblower complaints and four distinct First Information Reports (FIRs) registered at Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha Police Station.
At the heart of the probe is a sophisticated syndicate of middlemen who allegedly approached candidates—including the primary complainant—demanding astronomical bribes ranging from ₹70 Lakh to ₹80 Lakh per seat to guarantee their final selection.
To substantiate these claims, investigators were provided with incriminating audio recordings of the illicit negotiations, exposing a deep-rooted network connecting brokers, candidates, and high-ranking institutional insiders. The scale of the operation underscores the systemic nature of the alleged fraud, with ED teams simultaneously raiding 21 strategic locations across Karnataka and stretching into Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The crackdown has directly targeted the highest echelons of the commission, including the residences of former KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa S. Sahukar, who was previously suspended by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot under Article 317(1) over separate nepotism charges. The ED probe also focuses on alleged structural manipulation of the recruitment process with teams raiding the offices of M/s. Edutest Solutions Pvt. Ltd. in Ahmedabad, the private entity entrusted with the digital evaluation of examination papers. The officials are examining suspected question paper leaks, artificial score inflation, and physical OMR answer sheet tampering.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
