Pramesh S Jain
Senior IAS officer,Gnanendra Kumar,who previously served in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), has reportedly gone missing from Bengaluru, triggering a police search.
Kumar,currently serving as the Managing Director of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department,had travelled to Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli on August 20.
According to preliminary information,he switched off his mobile phone on the morning of August 20 and has remained untraceable since then.
Police had reportedly tracked his movements up to the airport,after which his mobile phone was switched off.
Investigators are now examining the possibility that he may have travelled towards New Delhi,as he had reportedly booked a flight ticket to Delhi.
Although Kumar had informed others that he was travelling to Delhi and proceeded to the airport,police have so far been unable to confirm whether he actually boarded a flight.
A senior IAS officer has informed Bengaluru City Police Commissioner,Seemant Kumar Singh about Kumar’s disappearance.
Police have taken up the matter seriously and are collecting details about his movements and contacts.
Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the airport and surrounding areas, along with other available information,to establish Kumar’s movements after he reached the airport.
Possible link to KPSC recruitment probe:
Kumar’s disappearance has assumed significance as it comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in the KPSC Veterinary Officer recruitment examination.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently conducted searches as part of the probe into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.
Investigators are also examining several aspects of Kumar’s tenure at the KPSC,according to sources.
The fact that he went missing shortly after the ED searches has raised questions,although police have not established any connection between his disappearance and the recruitment probe.
Police are continuing efforts to trace the officer and determine his whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
