BENGALURU: High drama unfolded at the residence of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar on Sunday when Enforcement Directorate (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).
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.
Gangwar has been in news for all the wrong reasons over the last few days. On Saturday, he was reported missing, but later Home Minister Priyank Kharge clarified that Gangwar was at his hometown in Uttar Pradesh because of a family emergency.
On Sunday, Bengaluru Zonal ED officials reached Gangwar’s apartment off Jayamahal Road along with CRPF personnel. But, it is said, the security guard did not initially allow the officials inside, saying Gangwar was not at home. When the officials tried to contact Gangwar, his phone was reportedly switched off.
It took nearly an hour for ED officials to enter the apartment complex, but found Gangwar’s flat locked. They then called a key maker and gained entry using a duplicate key. The officials searched the residence in the presence of a witness, a neighbour and seized a printer from his residence. It is learnt that ED teams raided Gangwar’s house in Uttar Pradesh too.
The ED recently raided 21 premises across Karnataka and Gujarat in connection with the case. The residences of KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar and those linked with the recruitment of veterinary officers too were searched then.