RAIPUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, November 18 arrested Ex Chairman of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Taman Singh Sonwani in connection with an alleged case of bribery linked with selections of candidates in the CGPSC examinations. Sonwani was arrested for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs45 lakh from the head of a Raipur based steel company for ensuring selections of two of the candidates in the prestigious examination.
Other than Sonwani, the sleuths of the agency also arrested Shravan Goyal who allegedly paid a hefty sum of Rs 45 lakh in two instalments to ensure selections of his son Shashank Goyal and daughter-in-law Bhumika Kataria on the post of deputy collectors in the 2021 State’s PSC examination. The amount was allegedly paid through Gramin Vikas Samiti, a committee which had Sonwani’s relatives as its members.
The arrest was made months after the CBI raided multiple locations in connection with the case in August this year. The case registered in regard to the alleged irregularities included names of the then chairman of State PSC, Taman Sonwani, then secretary of the PSC Jeevan Kishore Dhruv and a controller of the examination.
Reacting to the development, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai in a post on social media platform X said “I request the young candidates of Chhattisgarh to study diligently and make your future bright. Our government is committed to protect your interests.”
“Those who play with your future will be given the harshest punishment,” added the Chief Minister.
It is to be noted that the State’s Public Service Commission landed in major controversy after it declared the list of successful candidates for State’s PSC 2021 examination in April last year. The list includes relatives of a few Congress leaders, senior bureaucrats, and seasoned businessmen, triggering a major row. It is being alleged that a number of candidates who eventually made it to the merit list were provide with examination papers in advance, enabling them to score well in the examination.
Controversy surrounding the CGPSC examination 2021
- State’s PSC released final list of selected candidates in the CGPSC 2021 examination in April 2023. The declaration of the result landed in a major controversy after allegation linked with irregularities and nepotism surfaced in open, triggering mass agitation by the students
- A social media post by an anonymous PSC aspirant went viral, further escalating the row. The said user in the post made serious allegations about the selection process of the candidates and claimed that a couple of drug addicts also got selected in the examination.
- The then opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a state-wide protest against the then Bhupesh Baghel’s-led Congress government over the issue. The party’s youth wing, along with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also joined the fray by launching aggressive protests against the alleged nepotism and fraud in the examination
- Former minister and senior BJP leader, Nanhki Ram Kanwar filed a petition before the high court, seeking an immediate halt and cancellation of appointments of over a dozen candidates.
- A division bench of Bilaspur High Court halted the appointments of 18 candidates whose selection has been questioned by the Kanwar. The court observed that the selection of all these candidates was too much of a coincidence.
- BJP made it a key issue in the run-up to the state assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself assured action in the alleged irregularities.
- After securing a majority in the state assembly, Chief Minister (CM), Vishnu Deo Sai after holding its first full-fledged meeting of cabinet announced that the state government will approach the CBI for a fair investigation into the matter as promised by the party.
- Union Government issued notification for a CBI enquiry into the matter on April 25.
- CBI registered a case in connection with alleged irregularities in July this year.
- The agency launched a crackdown on multiple locations of the State in connection with the case including premises linked to Taman Sonwani and a Congress leader Rajendra Shukla in August this year.
- Ex PSC Chairman Taman Sonwani and a businessmen was apprehended by CBI on November 18.
