He topped a Karnataka exam, but CCTV footage told a different story
10946763 Shankar Bannur
- ✓10946763 Shankar Bannur
- ✓The Shiggaon police have registered a case against Shankar Bannur, 31, and arrested him late Sunday.
- ✓Bannur appeared for the VAO recruitment exam on October 4 and scored 151 out of 200 marks, emerging as the topper.
- ✓Bannur said he passed his PUC in 2013, and that social media posts claiming that the year was 2026 were false.
A candidate who topped the Haveri district merit list in the Karnataka Village Administrative Officer (VAO) recruitment examination allegedly used Google Lens to scan the question paper and find answers during the test, a police investigation has revealed.
The Shiggaon police have registered a case against Shankar Bannur, 31, and arrested him late Sunday. Bannur appeared for the VAO recruitment exam on October 4 and scored 151 out of 200 marks, emerging as the topper. However, some candidates raised suspicions on social media, where they shared the details of his marks and the results of the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) constable exam, in which he scored 25 out of 100.
The Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) organised both exams. Following an inquiry ordered by KEA, the police analysed CCTV footage at the exam hall in Shiggaon. “During the questioning, we confronted him with the CCTV footage, and he confessed to using a mobile phone.
Bannur carried his phone, but the staff there just checked his hall ticket and Aadhaar card and allowed him to enter the exam centre,” the officer said. “He secretly scanned the question paper using the Google Lens application and marked the answers on his OMR sheet.
The CCTV camera recorded the entire act, and his seat was at the last desk. No one noticed he used the mobile phone,” the officer said. The officer said they are yet to investigate why he was not properly checked before entering the exam hall and why no one noticed him using the phone.
“We will question officials who were responsible at the examination centre," the officer said. Just a few hours before the police arrested him, Bannur spoke to the media, saying his hard work had earned him the top score in the VAO exam.
Bannur said he passed his PUC in 2013, and that social media posts claiming that the year was 2026 were false. He said he did not know why records showed otherwise, and that he had given the police and the tahsildar his original documents.
He also said he comes from a very poor family, worked in hotels and cinema halls while studying, and had written more than 45 competitive exams. He said he reached the interview stage in several of them, and failed the physical test in others.
When doubts were raised on social media, a police officer said a close friend had leaked the KSRP exam results, triggering suspicion. The Shiggaon police have registered a case against him on charges of criminal breach of trust and cheating, unfair practices in recruitment examinations, and cheating by personation.
The case comes at a time when the credibility of recruitment exams in Karnataka is under scrutiny, with the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) facing allegations of corruption and irregularities in the selection process for government posts.
Recent allegations of question paper leaks and bribery in recruitment have raised concerns over transparency and fairness in the state's recruitment system.
- •Aspirants and citizens are advised to monitor official notices and circulars issued by Karnataka State Bureau (Bengaluru).
- •Verify all prescribed eligibility criteria, cutoff dates, and authenticated document requirements prior to formal submissions.
- •Track connected examination timetables, vacancy advisories, and administrative gazettes on SuchnaSetu.
| Issuing Authority | Karnataka State Bureau (Bengaluru) |
|---|---|
| Topic Category | STATES |
| Jurisdiction | KA State |
| Publication Date | 2 November 2026 |