BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has declined to quash a criminal case against a man accused of falsely presenting himself as an advocate and allegedly collecting more than ₹21 lakh from a widow while promising to help resolve her property dispute.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj, hearing the petition, held that the allegations in the complaint, if taken at face value at this preliminary stage, disclosed circumstances warranting a criminal investigation. The court rejected the argument that the matter was purely civil because it arose from a property dispute.

Woman Allegedly Paid More Than ₹21 Lakh

The case arose from a complaint filed by a widow who was involved in a dispute concerning property and was looking for assistance in resolving related litigation.

According to the allegations before the court, one of the accused allegedly introduced himself as a lawyer and claimed that he could assist the woman in dealing with the pending legal matter. She allegedly relied on those representations and subsequently paid the accused more than ₹21 lakh.

The complaint further alleges that the accused did not possess the legal credentials he represented himself as having. The exact circumstances surrounding the payments and the representations made to the woman remain matters for investigation.

Accused Sought Cancellation of FIR

The accused approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to have the FIR and subsequent proceedings quashed.

His argument was that the dispute essentially concerned property and money and should therefore be treated as a civil matter. On that basis, the petitioner contended that allowing a criminal case to continue was inappropriate.

The High Court did not accept that submission at the stage of investigation.

The court examined whether the allegations, on their face, disclosed ingredients of a criminal offence. It concluded that the complaint contained allegations that went beyond a simple disagreement over property or repayment of money.

Civil Dispute Can Also Involve Criminal Offences

A central point in the court’s decision was the distinction between civil and criminal proceedings.

The existence of a civil dispute does not automatically prevent criminal action where the allegations also disclose conduct that may constitute an offence. If a complaint alleges that a person obtained money by making a false representation or by deliberately inducing another person to rely on that representation, the matter may warrant investigation under criminal law.

In this case, the allegation that the accused allegedly posed as an advocate was particularly relevant because the woman was reportedly seeking legal assistance in connection with ongoing property litigation.

The court therefore found that the criminal investigation should not be stopped merely because the underlying dispute involved property.

Alleged False Legal Credentials Under Investigation

The allegation concerning the accused’s identity as a lawyer forms an important part of the complaint.

According to the case placed before the High Court, the woman allegedly believed that the accused possessed the necessary legal credentials and could help resolve her dispute. The alleged representation was followed by the transfer of more than ₹21 lakh.

Whether the accused actually made the alleged representations, whether he falsely claimed to be an advocate and whether the payments were obtained through deception are factual questions that remain to be established through investigation and evidence.

High Court Says Investigation Should Continue

The High Court’s refusal to quash the FIR means that investigators can continue examining the allegations.

Former Austrian billionaire Rene Benko has received an increased prison sentence after an Innsbruck court convicted him in a retrial over a €360,000 advance rent payment made before the collapse of his business empire.

The court added the new conviction to Benko’s earlier insolvency-fraud conviction involving a €300,000 payment to his mother. His combined sentence has now risen from two years to 30 months.

The latest ruling follows a decision by Austria’s Supreme Court that overturned Benko’s earlier acquittal on the advance-rent allegation and ordered the case to be reconsidered.

Court Finds Benko Guilty Over €360,000 Rent Payment

The retrial focused on an advance payment of €360,000 for a villa in Innsbruck’s Hungerburg district, where Benko lived.

Prosecutors argued that the payment was made while Benko was already facing serious financial difficulties and that transferring the money reduced assets that could otherwise have been available to creditors.

Benko had initially been acquitted of this allegation during his October 2025 trial. However, prosecutors challenged that decision, leading Austria’s Supreme Court to overturn the acquittal and send the matter back to the Innsbruck Regional Court.

At the retrial, the court found Benko guilty of the insolvency-related offense and reassessed his overall sentence.

He was, however, acquitted of separate allegations concerning advance operating expenses connected with the same property.

Earlier Conviction Involved Payment to His Mother

Benko’s first conviction in the case concerned a €300,000 transfer to his mother.

The court previously determined that the payment reduced funds that could have been used to satisfy creditors. Benko received a two-year prison sentence in that case.

Austria’s Supreme Court subsequently upheld that conviction while ordering a retrial on the separate advance-rent allegation.

With the second conviction now entered, the court increased Benko’s total prison term by six months to two and a half years.

Why the Transactions Became a Criminal Issue

Insolvency-related criminal cases can examine whether a financially distressed individual deliberately transfers or spends assets in ways that disadvantage creditors.

In Benko’s case, prosecutors focused on transactions made when his financial position was already under significant pressure. Their argument was that the disputed payments reduced the pool of assets available to people and institutions seeking repayment.

The Supreme Court’s earlier decision to order a retrial did not itself establish Benko’s guilt over the rent payment. That question was left for the lower court to determine, resulting in Tuesday’s conviction.

Further legal options may still be available under Austrian law.

Signa Collapse Brings Wider Investigations

Benko was the founder of Signa, a major property and retail group that expanded throughout Austria, Germany and other European markets.

The group relied heavily on financing and accumulated substantial property and retail interests. Rising interest rates, increasing construction costs and mounting financial pressure contributed to its collapse in late 2023.

The failure of Signa became one of Austria’s largest corporate insolvencies since World War II, leaving creditors and investors facing significant losses.

Benko has been in pre-trial detention since January 2025 as authorities continue investigating his financial activities.

Additional Criminal Proceedings Remain Pending

The latest conviction represents only one part of the broader legal investigations surrounding Benko and Signa.

Austria’s Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced another indictment in June involving allegations of serious fraud and fraudulent insolvency. In that separate case, prosecutors allege that a private foundation suffered losses of approximately €5 million after relying on an allegedly false guarantee.

Those allegations are separate from the convictions addressed in the latest retrial and remain subject to court proceedings.

What the 30-Month Sentence Means

The latest ruling resolves the specific €360,000 advance-rent allegation that was sent back for retrial by Austria’s Supreme Court.

The case also illustrates how transactions carried out shortly before insolvency can come under criminal scrutiny when authorities believe they reduced assets available to creditors.

However, the 30-month sentence relates to the specific offenses considered by the court and does not determine the outcome of other investigations involving Benko, Signa or their associated transactions.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that suspended IAS officer Gyanendra Kumar Gangwar received ₹1.30 crore in cash from an alleged middleman in connection with the leakage of a Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) Veterinary Officer recruitment examination paper.

The allegations were presented before a Bengaluru special court as the ED sought custody of Gangwar in a money-laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The court subsequently remanded Gangwar to six days of ED custody, until September 26, according to court reporting. The allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

ED Claims ₹1.50 Crore Was Collected From Candidates

According to the ED’s remand application, alleged middleman Basavaraj Kannale collected around ₹1.50 crore from candidates who were seeking access to the leaked examination material.

The agency alleges that approximately ₹1.30 crore of that amount was subsequently handed over to Gangwar in cash.

The ED is investigating the alleged flow of funds as part of its money-laundering probe and has sought to determine how the proceeds were collected, transferred and potentially converted into other assets.

Question Paper Allegedly Handed Over Before Examination

The ED has alleged that Gangwar provided the Veterinary Officer recruitment examination question paper, along with its answers, to Kannale through an HP pen drive on January 7, 2026.

The examination was scheduled for January 9.

Investigators allege that candidates who had paid money were subsequently given access to the examination material before the test. Earlier CID investigations have also examined allegations that selected candidates were taken to a resort and coached using leaked questions.

The recruitment examination was conducted for 400 Veterinary Officer posts in Karnataka.

Jewellery and Other Financial Transactions Under Investigation

The alleged financial trail also includes purchases of jewellery.

The ED told the court that approximately ₹23 lakh was spent on gold jewellery using funds connected to the alleged recruitment racket. Separate CID proceedings have examined additional jewellery purchases and other expenditures allegedly linked to the money collected from candidates.

Investigators are also examining financial transactions and other records to establish the full extent of the alleged money trail.

Gangwar Served as KPSC Examination Controller

Gangwar served as the Controller of Examinations at KPSC from 2024 until March 2026.

His role has brought particular attention to the alleged paper leak because investigators are examining how examination material could have been accessed and transferred before the test.

The ED is also investigating whether alleged proceeds from other recruitment examinations conducted during his tenure could be connected to the wider financial network.

Investigation Expands to Other KPSC Officials

The investigation is not limited to Gangwar and Kannale.

Authorities are examining the possible involvement of other individuals associated with the recruitment process, including suspended KPSC chairman Sahukar S. Shivashankarappa.

Investigators are looking into alleged communications, financial transactions and relationships between individuals involved in the recruitment process. The allegations against other officials remain under investigation and should not be treated as established findings.

Recruitment Process Came Under Scrutiny After Complaints

The alleged irregularities emerged after concerns were raised over the Veterinary Officer recruitment examination and selection process.

The CID investigation has examined allegations involving question-paper leakage, payments by candidates and the use of leaked material to prepare candidates before the examination. Earlier reporting said 329 candidates were selected from the recruitment process, while investigators were examining allegations involving candidates who allegedly paid money for selection.

The financial investigation by the ED is now focused on identifying the alleged proceeds of crime and tracing their movement.

High Court Orders Fresh Investigation

The wider KPSC controversy has also resulted in judicial intervention.

Recent reporting indicates that the Karnataka High Court constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fresh investigation into alleged irregularities connected with KPSC recruitment, including the Veterinary Officer examination.

The developments have expanded the case beyond the alleged paper leak to broader questions about recruitment procedures, financial transactions and the functioning of the commission.

ED Probe Continues

The six-day ED custody of Gangwar is intended to allow investigators to question him about the alleged financial transactions, identify other participants and trace the suspected proceeds of crime.

The case remains at the investigation stage. Allegations made by the ED or CID will ultimately have to be tested through the judicial process.

The KPSC controversy has meanwhile triggered wider scrutiny of recruitment examinations in Karnataka, with investigators continuing to examine whether the alleged network extended beyond the Veterinary Officer recruitment test.