Kumaraswamy demands ED probe into ₹15 crore Karnataka sting operation
Synopsis
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has called for the ED to investigate alleged ₹15 crore financial flows behind a sting operation targeting former CM Siddaramaiah — and in the same breath proposed slashing government service tenures from 35 years to as few as 10, upending one of Karnataka's most politically sensitive employment debates.
Key Takeaways
Kumaraswamy demanded an ED and Income Tax Department probe into alleged transactions of more than ₹15 crore linked to a sting operation targeting former CM Siddaramaiah .
Opposition Leader R.
Ashoka had earlier claimed ₹10–15 crore was spent on the sting operation.
Kumaraswamy alleged the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) was riddled with corruption, citing irregularities in Assistant Executive Engineer and Veterinary Department recruitments.
He proposed cutting government service tenure from 35 years to 10, 15, or 20 years to create vacancies for more candidates, with pensions to be retained.
Job aspirants from across Karnataka — including North Karnataka , Yadgir , Dharwad , and Channapatna — shared grievances over exam irregularities, last-minute notifications, and opaque selection processes.
Kumaraswamy pledged to support a larger protest movement against alleged KPSC irregularities.
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday, 16 October 2026, demanded an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax Department into alleged financial transactions worth more than ₹15 crore linked to a sting operation targeting former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Speaking to reporters at Bidadi in Ramanagara district, Kumaraswamy said the operation had snowballed into a major political controversy in Karnataka.
The sting operation and the money trail
Kumaraswamy cited a statement by Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, who had alleged that between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore was spent to orchestrate the sting. The Union Minister argued that the scale of the alleged financial flows warranted a formal federal probe. 'Transactions worth more than ₹15 crore have taken place. If the ED steps in, the truth will come out, and details of how the money was routed will emerge,' he said. He added that if the full picture emerged, 'the dignity and reputation of our state will be reduced to nothing.'
KPSC corruption allegations
Earlier the same day, Kumaraswamy addressed an open interaction with job aspirants over alleged irregularities in recruitments conducted by the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC). He claimed the KPSC had become a 'centre of corruption', alleging that jobs were being sold for money and that the commission's chairman, members, and officials were complicit in widespread malpractice. He specifically cited recruitment to Assistant Executive Engineer posts and positions in the Veterinary Department as examples marred by large-scale irregularities. The Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) selection process, he alleged, was deeply compromised by corruption, nepotism, and caste-based considerations.
Aspirants voice grievances
Several candidates who attended the interaction shared their experiences. An aspirant from North Karnataka said candidates spending months in Bengaluru for examination preparation had lost faith in the system, pointing to last-minute notifications and financial strain from accommodation costs. Another candidate alleged that the KPSC repeatedly sowed confusion through late uploads of new documents and last-minute legal challenges that rendered months of preparation futile. A candidate from Dharwad demanded stricter criteria for appointing KPSC officials and the removal of constitutional protection for those found involved in irregularities. A woman aspirant from Yadgir objected to a remark attributed to the Chief Minister in the Assembly, which she said implied that people from North Karnataka settled permanently in Bengaluru — a comment she described as hurtful to candidates from the region.
Kumaraswamy's proposal to cut government service tenure
In a separate proposal during the same event, Kumaraswamy suggested reducing the standard 35-year government service tenure to 10, 15, or 20 years to free up vacancies for a larger pool of candidates. He clarified that employees retiring after shorter tenures should continue to receive pensions and other retirement benefits. 'In my view, every household should have at least one government job. I have placed my idea before the public, and there should be a debate on it,' he said. He framed the proposal as a response to growing unemployment and promised aspirants he would support a larger protest against alleged KPSC irregularities. Whether transferring recruitment responsibilities from the KPSC to the Karnataka Examinations Authority would help was also raised by aspirants, who said the change would be meaningless without broader systemic reforms.
What comes next
Kumaraswamy assured aspirants that their grievances would not remain confined to the discussion forum, pledging to help organise a larger protest movement. Whether the ED or the Income Tax Department takes cognisance of the sting-operation funding allegations remains to be seen. The developments place fresh pressure on the Congress-led Karnataka government ahead of what critics say is a growing credibility challenge on both governance and accountability fronts.
Point of View
And a federal agency probe would deepen that pressure. But the tenure-reduction proposal is the more consequential idea: shrinking government service to 10–15 years would be a structural disruption to Karnataka's public employment ecosystem, and floating it at a KPSC grievance forum signals Kumaraswamy is targeting the politically potent youth-unemployment vote. The KPSC allegations are not new — successive governments have faced them — but the scale of aspirant grievances aired on Friday, spanning question-paper errors to OMR manipulation, suggests the problem has deepened. Whether either initiative moves beyond political rhetoric will depend on whether the Centre actually directs an ED referral and whether Kumaraswamy's party controls enough ground in Karnataka to make a protest movement stick.
NationPress
16 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Kumaraswamy demanding an ED probe into the Karnataka sting operation?
Kumaraswamy has demanded an ED and Income Tax Department investigation into alleged financial transactions of more than ₹15 crore that he claims were routed to fund a sting operation targeting former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He based his demand on a statement by Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, who put the figure at ₹10–15 crore, arguing the alleged money trail justified a formal federal investigation.
What is the sting operation targeting Siddaramaiah about?
The sting operation is a politically sensitive episode in Karnataka that has become a flashpoint between the ruling Congress and the opposition. Kumaraswamy described it as a major controversy whose full financial details, if exposed by the ED, could damage the state's reputation. The precise nature of the operation's content was not elaborated upon at the Bidadi press interaction.
What did Kumaraswamy propose regarding government service tenure?
Kumaraswamy proposed reducing Karnataka government employees' standard 35-year service tenure to 10, 15, or 20 years to open up more vacancies for unemployed youth. He said employees retiring after these shorter tenures should still receive pensions and other retirement benefits, and called for a public debate on the idea.
What allegations were raised against the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC)?
Kumaraswamy and aspirants present at the interaction alleged that the KPSC was a centre of corruption, with jobs being sold for money and officials at multiple levels implicated. Specific grievances included irregularities in Assistant Executive Engineer and Veterinary Department recruitment, errors in question papers, manipulation of OMR sheets, and caste-based bias in KAS selections.
Who is affected by the KPSC irregularities Kumaraswamy highlighted?
Government job aspirants across Karnataka are affected, with candidates from North Karnataka, Dharwad, Yadgir, and Channapatna among those who shared grievances at Friday's interaction. Aspirants described spending months preparing and significant sums on accommodation in Bengaluru, only to face last-minute notifications, confusing eligibility criteria, and delayed appointment orders even after clearing exams.
