ED raids KPSC in veterinary officer recruitment case in Karnataka

What Happened

The Enforcement Directorate conducted search operations at multiple locations linked to the Karnataka Public Service Commission and entities involved in the veterinary officer recruitment process. The raids covered the KPSC office in Bengaluru, the residence of the suspended KPSC Chairperson, a KPSC member, alleged middlemen, selected candidates, and the offices of Edutest Solutions Private Limited, which handled digital evaluation of examination papers. In total, 21 premises across Karnataka and Ahmedabad in Gujarat were searched. The operation followed four FIRs registered at Vidhana Soudha Police Station in Bengaluru alleging irregularities in the final selection for Veterinary Officers. The investigation has been handed to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Audio recordings of conversations with alleged middlemen were reportedly submitted by a complainant as part of the complaint materials.

The ED stated that the action is examining the money trail and financial transactions linked to the recruitment irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, Section 17.

Why It Matters

The ED’s involvement signals a federal probe into possible corrupt practices surrounding a state-level recruitment process, touching on potential manipulation of evaluations, leakage of papers, and payments alleged to be demanded by intermediaries. The scale of the operation—covering Bengaluru, multiple other Karnataka districts, and Ahmedabad—implies a broader network being examined in connection with the accusations.