Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar after raiding his home for a second time over alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers …

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested former KPSC chairman Shivashankarappa S Sahukar after raiding his home for a second time over alleged irregularities in the recruitment of 400 veterinary officers on Tuesday. Well-placed sources told DH that the arrest procedures were completed for both Sahukar and KPSC member BV Geetha, who was also raided on Tuesday. “The two were produced before a judge on Tuesday night and sent to ED’s custody for a day. They will be produced before a Bengaluru court again on Wednesday at 3 pm where the agency will ask maximum custody,” sources said. Scam-hit Karnataka Public Service Commission initiates talks on reforms modelled after UPSCThe KPSC, which fills vacancies in the state government, has been under scrutiny over the veterinary officers’ exam held in January this year. Police have filed FIRs following allegations that some candidates paid huge bribes to middlemen to secure top ranks.IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who served as Controller of Examinations in the KPSC from February 2024 to March 2026, allegedly worked in cahoots with Basavaraj Kannale, a key middleman, to solicit and receive bribes from candidates to help them pass the exam and secure jobs.Candidates for KPSC veterinary exam paper illegally selected, applicants paid Rs 40 lakh in bribes: ED probeDuring his custodial interrogation, Gangwar allegedly named Sahukar, Geetha and two other KPSC members — Shanta Hosmani and Elfreda D’Silva — stating they had approached him regarding candidates.During Tuesday’s raid, an ED team arrived at Sahukar’s residence in Dollars Colony around noon. Sahukar, who was present at the time, was questioned by officials while they executed the search warrant, sources said.The agency previously raided him on August 18.Sahukar has been a KPSC member since 2019 and was appointed its chairman in 2021.The ED is yet to release an official statement on the latest seizures. “Raids have been executed based on the prima facie evidence and statements by the arrested suspects,” sources said.KPSC rot demands reform at sourceThe ED acted on multiple FIRs registered with the Vidhana Soudha police in Bengaluru alleging severe irregularities in the final selection for the exam.The CID is probing the irregularities separately, while a high court order on a separate SIT was challenged in the Supreme Court.Among the 29 candidates who allegedly paid lakhs of rupees to secure postings following the exam is Sooguresh Jaka, said to be a relative of Sahukar. It is alleged that Jaka secured 456.75 marks, despite failing two degree examinations. He allegedly cleared them later through the compartment examinations, but with a low cumulative grade point average (CGPA).On July 10, Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR against Suma S Sahukar, Sahukar’s daughter, for submitting a false income certificate while applying for a government job under the 3B reservation category. Sahukar was previously questioned by the CID.

Source: Deccan Herald