Chhattisgarh PSC Recruitment Scam: CBI arrests 5 accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)on Thursday arrested five accused and unearth larger conspiracy in selection of candidates in Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Exam 2021 & 2020. The arrested accused include Jeevan Kishore Dhruv, a retired IAS and the then Secretary, CGPSC, Arti Wasnik, the then Controller of Examination, CGPSC,Sumit Dhruv, a Deputy Collector and Son of the then Secretary, GPSC, Misa Kosle, Deputy Collector, a Daughter-in-law of brother of the then Chairman, CGPSC and Deepa Adil, District Excise Officer. She is daughter in-law of brother of the then Chairman, CGPSC).

The CBI registered registered a case on July 09,2024 on the basis of Notification dated 16.02.2024 and 10.04.2024 issued by the State Govt. of Chhattisgarh. According to FIR, the then Chairman, CGPSC, the then Secretary, CGPSC and other persons of Public Service Commission, while holding various posts in CGPSC, conducted examination and interview during the year 2020 to 2022 and got selected their son, daughter and relatives.

For the various posts in CGPSC for the year 2021, total 1,29,206 candidates appeared in the Preliminary Examination, out of which, 2548 candidates cleared the Preliminary examination. Total 509 cleared the Main Examination and were selected to appear for interviews. A Total of 170 candidates were selected for various posts in CGPSC, 2021. In the said case, the then Chairman of CGPSC, the then Deputy Controller of Examinations, CGPSC along with four selected candidates and one private person have already been arrested. All of them are in judicial custody.

All the five accused to be produced before the Court for taking police remand in the case. Further Investigation is underway to investigate the role of other suspect candidates, who were selected in CGPSC examination. It  may be noted that significant irregularities occurred in the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) recruitment process between 2020 and 2022. It is alleged that in the examinations and interviews conducted during this period, close associates of influential politicians and senior officials were selected for the positions of Deputy Collector, DSP, and other high-ranking positions, while neglecting qualified candidates. This scam raised serious questions about the transparency of the state's recruitment process. Later,the Chhattisgarh government entrusted the probe to the CBI. 

The CBI had arrested Taman Singh Sonwani, then Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission, and Shravan Kumar Goyal, then Director of a company in Raipur, on 18 November last year in connection with the case. Later, the CBI arrested five more accused in this case in January this year.

(Crime Correspondent)