Bengaluru, 30 September

The ED stated on Wednesday that it had evidence that Basavaraj Kannale, the main accused in the alleged Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) scam, had taken a group of students who paid between Rs 30-Rs 40 lakhs to a resort near Bengaluru and provided them with leaked question papers to help them prepare for the examinations.

Kannale allegedly obtained the papers from IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, the then Controller of Examinations, KPSC, the ED stated on X.

Kannale was formally arrested on 17 September for his involvement in the KPSC scam, which came to light after a group of veterinary doctors complained at the Vidhana Soudha police station over the alleged irregularities in the selection of 400 posts.  Gangwar was arrested on 18 September by the Central agency.

The ED stated that Kannale initially demanded Rs 80 lakh from each candidate to provide them with the leaked papers before it was negotiated down to Rs 30-Rs 40 lakh per candidate.

Kannale helped the candidates memorise the correct answers to the questions, the ED stated, adding that he and his associates helped them go to the centres as well.

The ED stated its evidence included bank transfers, purchase of gold jewellery, cash payments for air travel, among others.