Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted search and seizure operations at 21 premises across Karnataka and Ahmedabad in connection with alleged irregularities and money laundering linked to the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment process. The searches were carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation is focused on allegations of bribery, question paper leaks, manipulation of OMR answer sheets and interference in the selection process.
According to the ED, teams from its Bengaluru Zonal Office searched the KPSC office, the residence of former KPSC Chairman Shivashankaranappa S Sahukar, the premises of KPSC member Shanta Hosmani, alleged middlemen and the office of Edutest Solutions Pvt Ltd, the entity responsible for digital evaluation of examination papers. Premises linked to candidates selected for Veterinary Officer posts were also searched.
The searches were conducted at multiple locations in Bengaluru, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Raichur, Karwar, Kalaburagi and Belagavi in Karnataka. A premises in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was also covered. The agency’s action is aimed at tracing the alleged flow of money generated through irregularities in the recruitment process and determining whether the funds were subsequently concealed or transferred through channels that attracted provisions of the anti-money laundering law.
The ED investigation stems from multiple FIRs registered at Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha Police Station. According to the agency, four of these FIRs relate to alleged irregularities in the final selection process for Veterinary Officers. The complaints allege that certain intermediaries approached candidates and demanded large sums of money in exchange for helping them secure selection.
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According to the allegations being examined, intermediaries demanded between ₹70 lakh and ₹80 lakh from some candidates. One complainant is also reported to have handed over audio recordings of conversations with the alleged middlemen. The ED is examining these recordings along with other documentary and financial evidence to determine the identities and roles of people allegedly involved in the recruitment manipulation.
The investigation goes beyond alleged bribery. The agency is examining allegations of question paper leaks, tampering with OMR answer sheets and manipulation of the selection process. It is also looking into claims that relatives of KPSC officials or other persons connected with the commission may have received preferential treatment during recruitment.
During the searches, investigators examined documents and financial records related to the recruitment process. The agency is also questioning employees who worked with Sahukar during the relevant period and examining documents signed during his tenure. These records are being scrutinised to establish whether decisions taken during the recruitment process were connected to the alleged irregularities.
Tracing the alleged money trail is a key component of the ED investigation. The agency is examining where money allegedly collected from candidates was deposited, how it was transferred and whether attempts were made to conceal or layer the funds. Investigators are also looking into whether proceeds allegedly generated through the recruitment process were used to acquire assets, make investments or conduct other transactions intended to disguise their origin.
Renowned cybercrime expert and former IPS officer Prof. Triveni Singh said that as recruitment examinations increasingly rely on digital evaluation and electronic records, the preservation and scientific examination of digital evidence becomes crucial. He said audio recordings, electronic documents, banking trails and digital logs, when examined together, can help investigators establish links between alleged financial transactions and manipulation of an examination process.
Following the searches, the ED is expected to scrutinise recruitment-related documents, financial transactions and communications among candidates, intermediaries and other persons under investigation. The agency will also seek to establish whether the alleged money trail extended beyond the individuals already identified and whether other beneficiaries were involved.
The investigation remains underway, and the allegations have not been judicially established. The ED’s searches are intended to trace the source and movement of the alleged proceeds and determine the role of individuals connected with the recruitment irregularities. Further action will depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation and the findings of the agency.
