E-Paper
FIR filed by CBI names kin of Chhattisgarh officials, Congress leaders in PSC recruitment irregularities
A first information report, (FIR) taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe alleged irregularities in the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), alleges that sons, daughters and relatives of several Congress politicians, office bearers of the commission and even the secretary of the governor became deputy collectors, deputy superintendent of police and excise officers, etc.
A first information report, (FIR) taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe alleged irregularities in the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), alleges that sons, daughters and relatives of several Congress politicians, office bearers of the commission and even the secretary of the governor became deputy collectors, deputy superintendent of police and excise officers, etc.
The alleged manipulation to place the kin of high-ranking officials and prominent politicians took place in the 2022 CGPSC examination, the results of which were declared on May 11, 2023.
The beneficiaries of the lucrative recruitment include Chhattisgarh governor Biswabhusan Harichanan’s secretary Amrit Kumar Xalxo’s son Nikhil and daughter Neha, who became deputy collectors; Chhattisgarh police deputy inspector general (DIG) KL Dhruv’s daughter Sakshi (deputy collector); Congress leader Sudhir Katiyar’s daughter Bhumika and son-in-law Sashank Goyal (deputy collectors); and Congress leader Rajendra Shukla’s daughter Swarnim (deputy collector).
The FIR names five more candidates linked to Congress leaders without naming the politicians. It adds that the individuals making it in the merit list from serial numbers 1-171 of CGPSC were allegedly related to government officials, politicians and influential persons.
The CBI probe is based on Chhattisgarh police’s Economic Offences Wing’s FIR filed on February 7. The state government referred the probe to the CBI on February 16, some two months after the Congress was unseated in the state by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the December 2023 assembly elections.
The federal anti-corruption agency has named Taman Singh Sonwani, former Chairman of CGPSC, Jeevan Kishor Dhruv, former secretary of CGPSC, unnamed public servants in Chhattisgarh government and “concerned politicians” and others.
Sonwani allegedly got five members of his family recruited, including his son Nitesh, daughter-in-law Nisha Kosale (both as deputy collectors), elder brother’s son Sahil (as deputy superintendent of police) and daughter-in-law Deepa Adil (as district excise officer), and sister’s daughter Sunita Joshi as labour officer.
Jeevan Kishore Dhruv’s son Sumit was also selected as deputy collector.
The FIR alleges that the CGPSC question paper was most likely provided to the favoured candidates linked to politicians and government officials so that they received high scores.
The rules say that if the relatives of a CGPSC official appear in the examination, then the concerned person has to recuse himself from the process after informing other members and officials of the commission, which Sonwani did not do, according to the FIR. Sonwani violated the rules and selected his family members and relatives of other officials and influential persons, it added.
After conducting raids at various locations in the state on Monday, a CBI spokesperson said there are allegations of CGPSC officials and others “abusing official position by recruiting their sons, daughter, relatives, their acquaintances etc. who were allegedly ineligible candidates for various posts in state government of Chhattisgarh in examination and interviews conducted during the year 2020-2022”.
“The government has taken a decision to hand over the probe to the CBI,” Congress leader Katiyar said. “I have full faith in the agencies.”
“I don’t know about the FIR or its contents,” deputy inspector general Dhruv said. “My daughter’s selection has happened because of her hard work.”
Xalxo, Congress leader Shukla and Sonwani didn’t respond to calls or texts seeking comment.
