Bengaluru, India — Karnataka IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar has reportedly been unreachable since August 20 and was last traced to Kempegowda International Airport, according to official sources, as scrutiny intensifies around controversies involving the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC).
- Key Highlights:
- IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar has reportedly been incommunicado since August 20.
- Officials said he was last traced to Kempegowda International Airport and had reportedly booked a flight to Delhi.
- Gangwar previously served as controller of examinations at the KPSC and was replaced in March.
- The Karnataka Cabinet has recommended action against KPSC chairperson Shivashankarappa S Sahukar amid corruption and recruitment allegations.
Government confirms information about missing IAS officer
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge said on Saturday that the state government had received information about Gangwar’s disappearance. He said, however, that no formal complaint had been filed by Gangwar’s family or any other person at the time.
Kharge said officials were examining information received from Kempegowda International Airport, where Gangwar was last traced. He added that the government was still investigating the matter and would determine the next course of action based on the information available.
Gangwar, a 2016-batch IAS officer, is currently serving as Director, MSME, in the Department of Industries and Commerce. Sources said his communication channels had been disconnected and he had become unreachable.
Gangwar reportedly booked flight to Delhi
According to sources, Gangwar had reportedly booked a flight ticket to Delhi before he went incommunicado. The officer has not been reachable since August 20, while authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
Kharge said the government had received information from the airport and was looking into it. He also indicated that the investigation remained at an early stage and that officials would decide on further steps after assessing the available information.
There is currently no confirmed information in the supplied material establishing why Gangwar became unreachable or whether his disappearance is connected to any particular incident.
Previous KPSC role draws attention
Gangwar’s earlier role at the Karnataka Public Service Commission has brought additional attention to the case. He previously served as controller of examinations at the KPSC and was replaced in that position in March this year.
Reports have linked his disappearance to developments during his KPSC tenure, but official sources have not confirmed any connection. Authorities are continuing to examine the matter, and no specific allegation against Gangwar has been established in the information available.
Karnataka Cabinet recommends action against KPSC chief
The development comes amid a separate controversy surrounding KPSC chairperson Shivashankarappa S Sahukar. Kharge said the Karnataka Cabinet decided on Friday to recommend to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot that Sahukar be suspended and that an inquiry be initiated against him.
Sahukar faces allegations of corruption and has also faced accusations of nepotism following the selection of his daughter for a government job based on a false income certificate, according to the supplied report.
Kharge said the Governor had previously suspended Sahukar, but the KPSC chairperson challenged the decision before the High Court. The court subsequently directed the Governor to act in accordance with the aid and advice of the government.
High Court had ordered Sahukar’s reinstatement
The Governor suspended Sahukar on July 13, citing “not disclosing important information” and “misbehaviour”. However, on August 18, the High Court ordered his reinstatement, holding that the Governor’s decision had not been taken with the aid and advice of the Cabinet.
Kharge said the state government had now decided to follow the Governor’s earlier decision to suspend Sahukar and had provided the same advice to the Governor. The Cabinet also discussed an inquiry into the allegations surrounding the KPSC.
ED raids KPSC premises in recruitment probe
The KPSC controversy has also attracted the attention of the Enforcement Directorate. On Tuesday, the agency raided premises linked to the KPSC, Sahukar, KPSC member Shanta Hosmani and others as part of a money laundering investigation.
The investigation concerns an alleged scam in the recruitment examination for veterinary officers. The raids have added another layer to scrutiny surrounding recruitment processes at the commission.
Kharge said public concern over recruitment at the KPSC and allegations of large-scale corruption had grown, with questions being raised about the future of young job seekers and the roles of people associated with the commission.
As of Saturday, officials were still examining Gangwar’s whereabouts and the information received from the airport. The supplied material does not establish a link between his disappearance and the separate KPSC investigations, leaving that aspect unresolved as authorities continue their inquiries.
Praveen Yadav is the Founder and Content Creator of The Nation Bulletin, an independent digital news platform focused on delivering timely, reliable and meaningful news from India and around the world.
