CBI Names 29 Accused in Chhattisgarh Civil Services Exam Scam, Files Final Chargesheet

The Central Bureau of Investigation has filed its final chargesheet in the high-profile Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) civil services examination scam, naming 29 accused and detailing an alleged large-scale conspiracy to manipulate the recruitment process. The chargesheet, running into nearly 400 pages, has been submitted before a special court, paving the way for the trial to begin.

The case pertains to irregularities in the 2021 CGPSC civil services examination, conducted to fill 171 administrative posts in the state. According to investigators, the recruitment process was systematically compromised to favour select candidates with political, bureaucratic and business connections, undermining merit-based selection.

Among those named in the chargesheet are former CGPSC chairman Taman Singh Sonwani, former examination controller Aarti Wasnik, coaching institute operators, candidates who secured top ranks, and influential businessmen. The CBI stated that 12 of the accused are currently in judicial custody, while one individual has been declared absconding.

The investigation has revealed that a key coaching institute operator allegedly organised special training sessions for chosen candidates at a hotel in the Mahasamund district shortly before the main examination. These sessions were allegedly conducted using leaked question papers, giving participants an unfair advantage and enabling them to score exceptionally high marks.

Investigators claim that the leaked papers were accessed with the help of senior CGPSC officials. The question papers were printed at a private press outside the state and transported to Raipur, where they were allegedly copied and then resealed to avoid detection. The chargesheet states that this manipulation was carried out in a planned and coordinated manner.

The CBI has also highlighted alleged irregularities in the interview and final selection stages, suggesting that manipulation extended beyond the written examinations. According to the probe, 13 of the top 20 selected candidates were relatives of serving or former bureaucrats, politicians, or influential business families, raising serious concerns about conflict of interest and abuse of power.

The chargesheet names industrialist Shravan Goyal, along with members of his family, including candidates who were later appointed to senior administrative positions such as deputy collectors. The agency alleges that these candidates received advance access to question papers and benefited from the compromised selection process.

The CGPSC recruitment cycle began with the preliminary examination in February 2022, in which over 2,500 candidates qualified. This was followed by the mains examination in May 2022 and interviews held subsequently. The final merit list was released in May 2023, triggering allegations of widespread irregularities and eventually leading to a CBI probe.

With the filing of the final chargesheet, the investigation agency has asserted that sufficient documentary and electronic evidence has been collected to establish the alleged conspiracy. The case has sparked widespread debate on the integrity of competitive examinations and is expected to have far-reaching implications for recruitment reforms and accountability in public service selections in Chhattisgarh.