Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday, 28 August fired back at Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy over the alleged disappearance of IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar, stating categorically that he knows the officer's whereabouts and has no obligation to share that information with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)). The sharp exchange in Bengaluru escalated a political row tied to the ongoing Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment examination controversy.

Background: What Kumaraswamy Alleged

Kumaraswamy, who holds the Union portfolio for Heavy Industries and Steel, had questioned Kharge's earlier statements about Gyanendra Kumar, who was reportedly associated with the KPSC recruitment examination process. The Union Minister alleged that the Karnataka government was shielding the officer, whose whereabouts had, according to Kumaraswamy, remained unknown.

Kharge dismissed the charge pointedly. 'Has the IAS officer run away, or is he with us? What does Kumaraswamy know about it?' he asked reporters in Bengaluru.

Kharge's Defence of the Officer's Leave

The Home Minister said Gyanendra Kumar had submitted a written request for leave through proper channels, and questioned why the government should doubt a formal application. 'If an officer asks for leave in writing, should we not believe him? How do we know whether he is lying? When he comes back, we will enquire whether he was lying,' Kharge said. He added that the relevant leave documents were on record and that the government would investigate the facts upon the officer's return.

Kharge Turns the Tables on BJP-JD(S) Alliance

Kharge broadened his counterattack to question the political motives behind the criticism. He alleged that targeting him had become a route for BJP and JD(S) leaders to earn favour within their alliance. 'All these days I was needed by the BJP. Now I am wanted by the JD(S). If they want to stay relevant by making allegations against me, let them do it,' he said.

He also invoked Kumaraswamy's past remarks about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), in which the Union Minister had reportedly described the organisation as a 'poisonous snake,' asking whether the BJP-JD(S) alliance had since forgotten those words. 'What should I comment about those who throw away principles and ethics for power?' Kharge said.

In a pointed reference to the RSS office in Bengaluru, Keshava Kripa, Kharge alleged that leaders were making statements against him in the hope of securing political promotions from their alliance partners.

KPSC Scam: Kharge Raises Questions About Sahukar Appointment

Shifting to the KPSC controversy itself, Kharge questioned who was responsible for appointing the now-suspended KPSC Chairman Shivashankarappa Sahukar — first as a member and then as chairman of the commission. He also raised, without independently verifying, a circulating allegation that Sahukar had reportedly paid ₹200 crore to secure the KPSC presidency, attributing the claim to allegations being made by others.

Kharge further questioned the presence of photographs of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa and State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra at Sahukar's residence, saying, 'Is it true? These are allegations being made about by your own friends.' He also asked what Kumaraswamy, as a Union Minister, had delivered for Karnataka — framing the dispute as one of accountability on both sides.

What Comes Next

The KPSC recruitment scam remains under scrutiny, and the government has indicated it will investigate the full facts once Gyanendra Kumar returns from leave. The political fallout is likely to intensify as the opposition continues to press for answers on the officer's role and the broader integrity of Karnataka's public service recruitment process.