Bengaluru, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday stepped up his attack on the Congress government in Karnataka over alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), questioning the movements of arrested IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar and demanding answers from State Home Minister Priyank Kharge.
Addressing the media at the JD(S) headquarters, J.P. Bhavan, Kumaraswamy questioned how Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar was able to travel to Delhi while the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was conducting searches at his residence in connection with the case.
Gyanendra Kumar was arrested by the state CID on Sunday in the alleged KPSC recruitment scam and remanded to judicial custody. Kumaraswamy alleged that the officer had gone to Delhi following the ED searches and later appeared before the CID’s Special Investigation Wing for questioning.
“Who sent Gyanendra to Delhi?” Kumaraswamy asked, seeking clarification on whether the officer had obtained permission to leave Bengaluru and who facilitated his movements.
“How did Gyanendra go to Delhi? Whose permission did he take to leave Bengaluru? When the Enforcement Directorate was conducting searches here, why did he suddenly go to Delhi? What did he do there? Who took him away after the incident involving a woman? Who eventually took him to Chennai? Who brought him back from Chennai and kept him at a resort near Devanahalli for three days?” he asked.
Kumaraswamy said these questions required answers from Kharge and questioned whether such movements could have taken place without the knowledge of the Home Department or state intelligence agencies.
The JD(S) leader also questioned whether the arrest would result in meaningful action against corruption within the KPSC. He alleged that officials facing allegations were sometimes subjected to action before later being given influential postings.
“The state government neither has the will nor the intention to clean up KPSC. If it genuinely wants to act, it must go beyond arresting one officer and answer the larger questions about how this system was allowed to function,” Kumaraswamy said.
Referring to the veterinary officer recruitment examination, he alleged discrepancies in the ranking of candidates, claiming that some candidates who scored 95 per cent marks were placed low on the list while candidates who had failed earlier examinations secured high ranks. He demanded an explanation from Kharge over the alleged discrepancies.
Kumaraswamy said repeated controversies had damaged public confidence in the KPSC, calling for accountability in the functioning of the constitutional body.
He also referred to Karnataka High Court proceedings concerning alleged recruitment irregularities and said the court had intervened in the recruitment of Junior Engineers in the Water Resources Department.
Taking a dig at Kharge, Kumaraswamy recalled his earlier statement that KPSC would be abolished if he came to power.
“You once said that if you get power, you would abolish KPSC. Now you have power. Clean it. Use whichever soap or detergent you want, but clean KPSC,” he said.
Kumaraswamy also questioned Kharge over allegations raised during his earlier tenure as Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister and asked him to explain what action had been taken.
He further questioned the powers and accountability of the KPSC chairman, its members and the Controller of Examinations, saying repeated allegations had raised concerns over the functioning of the constitutional body.
Responding to criticism from Kharge, Kumaraswamy said the Home Minister should address allegations concerning the state government rather than divert attention towards him.
Defending his own record as Karnataka Chief Minister, Kumaraswamy said he had never permitted irregularities during either of his two terms in office and had not issued any instruction contrary to law.
Recalling his 2006 tenure, he said he had appointed a person from the Dalit community as KPSC chairman rather than a relative or close associate. He also challenged Kharge to identify any question paper leak during his tenure.
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