Veterinary officers’ recruitment: IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar appears before CID for questioning

Bengaluru, Aug 28 (IANS) IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar appeared before the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru on Friday for questioning in connection with the alleged veterinary officers recruitment scam, days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a search at his residence and a police team reportedly travelled to Uttar Pradesh in search of him.

Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who had served as the examination controller in the recruitment process, appeared before ACP Raghavendra Hegde, the Investigating Officer at the CID office and was questioned in connection with the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers.

The development comes amid a political controversy surrounding the officer’s whereabouts. Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy had questioned Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge over the government’s statements regarding Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar after the ED search at his residence.

Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar had reportedly written to the government seeking 15 days’ leave, stating that his father had suffered a heart attack. However, after the ED searches, a team of officials reportedly travelled to his native village in Uttar Pradesh to locate him but could not find him there.

The officer subsequently appeared before the CID in Bengaluru on Friday for questioning, providing a significant development in the ongoing investigation.

The alleged recruitment irregularities are being examined by both the ED and the CID. The ED is looking into the financial aspects of the case, while the CID is investigating the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process and the role of various officials.

The case has also gained political traction after Kumaraswamy questioned Kharge over his statements regarding Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar’s whereabouts. Kharge had earlier maintained that the officer had sought leave in writing due to his father’s health condition and that there was no reason for the government to disbelieve an official leave request.

Meanwhile, suspended Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Chairman, Shivashankarappa Sahukar, also had appeared before the CID for questioning in connection with the investigation.

The questioning of Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar and Shivashankarappa Sahukar is expected to help investigators establish the sequence of events surrounding the recruitment process and determine whether any officials or other individuals were involved in alleged irregularities.

The ED and CID investigations are continuing.

It can be recalled that high drama unfolded at the residence of Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar on last Sunday when ED officials landed there to conduct a raid in connection with the ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of veterinary officers by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).

Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer, is currently posted as director of MSME at the Karnataka Department of Industries and Commerce. He had earlier served as the controller of examinations at the KPSC when the veterinary officers’ recruitment exam was conducted.

–IANS

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