Karnataka Minister: IAS Officer Gangwar Attending Family Health Emergency

Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge clarified on Saturday that IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar, who was previously reported missing, was actually in Uttar Pradesh attending to a family health emergency. Gangwar, who serves as the Director of MSME in the Department of Industries and Commerce, is currently with his father, identified as a heart patient.

Understanding the Officer’s Absence

Reports had indicated that Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar had been uncontactable since August 20, raising public concern. Minister Kharge personally intervened to confirm Gangwar’s precise whereabouts and the legitimate reason for his temporary absence from duty.

• Gangwar had submitted a handwritten leave request for a week, citing unavoidable personal circumstances.
• This specific leave application could not be processed immediately due to a festival, causing a delay in official acknowledgment.
• He personally assured Minister Kharge of his return to Karnataka in a couple of days and affirmed his willingness to cooperate fully with any future inquiry.

Related Investigations and Official Actions

Minister Kharge explicitly denied any connection between Gangwar’s current absence and the recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) searches. These significant searches targeted the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation.

• The ED’s probe specifically focuses on an alleged recruitment scam concerning veterinary officers, indicating a serious breach of public trust.
• In a separate but related development, the state Cabinet has officially recommended the suspension of KPSC chairperson Shivashankarappa S Sahukar.
• Furthermore, an inquiry has been initiated against Sahukar due to multiple corruption allegations, including charges of nepotism within the commission.

This clarification from the Karnataka Home Minister aims to dispel public speculation surrounding the IAS officer’s unexpected unavailability. It also distinctly separates his personal family emergency from the serious corruption probes currently impacting the Karnataka Public Service Commission.