**CBI Files Chargesheet in Chhattisgarh PSC Recruitment Scam**
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a comprehensive chargesheet, nearly 400 pages long, in connection with the 2021 Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) recruitment scandal. This document names 29 individuals as accused, including operators of coaching institutes, CGPSC officials, and candidates allegedly linked to political and administrative figures. The CBI has accused these parties of orchestrating a systematic manipulation of the examination process to benefit select candidates.
The investigation revealed that a coaching institute operator organized specialized preparation sessions for favored candidates at a hotel in Mahasamund district just days before the CGPSC mains examination. The CBI claims that this operator had prior access to the examination question papers and trained candidates accordingly, enabling relatives of senior bureaucrats and influential business families to achieve top ranks.
Among the accused, twelve individuals are currently incarcerated, including former CGPSC chairman Taman Singh Sonwani, former exam controller Aarti Wasnik, and industrialist Shravan Goyal along with his family members. One accused, Utkarsh Chandrakar, is reported to be absconding.
The probe has uncovered that 13 of the top 20 selected candidates had connections to current or former officials, political leaders, or prominent businessmen. Aarti Wasnik is specifically accused of leaking the question papers and facilitating their duplication. These papers were printed by a firm based in Kolkata and transported to Raipur in January 2021 by an employee named Mahesh Das, before being handed over to key conspirators for copying and resealing for official use.
The chargesheet further alleges that Shravan Goyal’s son, Shashank, and daughter-in-law, Bhumi Katiyar, received the leaked papers and were subsequently appointed as deputy collectors. Investigators have indicated that the manipulation extended beyond the examination phase to the interview process, effectively undermining merit-based selection and disadvantaging deserving candidates.
This case pertains to the recruitment of 171 positions through the CGPSC 2021 examination cycle. The preliminary examination, held on February 13, 2022, saw 2,565 candidates qualify, while 509 passed the mains conducted in May 2022. The final selection list was published on May 11, 2023, following the interviews.
The CBI has indicated that the trial is expected to commence soon, with the chargesheet detailing extensive evidence of alleged collusion among CGPSC officials, coaching operators, and favored candidates.
**FAQ**
**What is the Chhattisgarh PSC recruitment scam?**
The Chhattisgarh PSC recruitment scam involves allegations of systematic manipulation of the examination process for the 2021 CGPSC recruitment, benefiting select candidates through leaked question papers and collusion among officials and coaching operators.
