The Karnataka High Court has rejected former Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar’s anticipatory bail plea in a corruption case linked to alleged irregularities in a recruitment examination, citing material presented by the prosecution about his alleged role in the case.
Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty dismissed Sahukar’s petition during a hearing on Monday. The case concerns an FIR filed in connection with alleged question-paper leaks and manipulation of the examination process. Sahukar has not been convicted, and the allegations remain subject to investigation and legal proceedings.
During the hearing, Sahukar’s senior counsel, M. Arun Shyam, argued that there was no direct documentary evidence against the former KPSC chairman. The defence said the allegations involved several KPSC officials and that Sahukar was accused mainly of helping a relative. It also submitted that the examination controller and alleged kingpins had already been arrested, while an Enforcement Directorate investigation had not uncovered material against Sahukar.
The defence further argued that investigators had seized Sahukar’s mobile phone but had not recovered other documents from him. Documents and optical mark recognition sheets had been seized from the KPSC and sent to a forensic science laboratory, the court was told. Counsel also cited Sahukar’s age and medical history, including thyroid and heart-related surgery, while seeking protection from arrest.
The state opposed the plea. State prosecutor B.N. Jagadish told the court that investigators had collected substantial material against Sahukar. According to the prosecution, Sahukar and members of his family had been in contact with arrested accused Basavaraj Kannale. The prosecution also alleged that Sahukar spoke to beneficiaries from his private phone number until 8 p.m. on the day of the examination.
The state further alleged that Sahukar’s son and daughter had been allowed to use KPSC office facilities and that Sahukar’s son remained in contact with KPSC officials, office-bearers and intermediaries. The prosecution argued that these circumstances justified denying anticipatory bail.
The court expressed concern over the effect of the alleged irregularities on public confidence in the recruitment system. During the hearing, the bench was reported to have said that people were losing faith in the system and questioned what would happen to talented students and their families if examinations were compromised. The court also described the alleged activity as a systematic fraud and said the material presented by the government indicated a serious role for Sahukar.
The prosecution’s objections included allegations that intermediaries contacted candidates, collected payments through cash and bank transfers, and supplied examination questions in handwritten and printed formats. Investigators have reportedly identified locations linked to the circulation of questions and accounts through which candidates allegedly made payments.
The investigation has also included searches at multiple locations, the seizure of records and the issuance of lookout circulars against some suspects. Former KPSC examination controller Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar has been arrested, and his residence has been searched, according to the prosecution’s submissions. Investigators are examining communications linked to the veterinary examination and recovering data from seized phones.
A separate bench led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna has reserved its judgment on a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the KPSC scam. The court has also been told that protection has been granted to candidates who were successful in the examination.
