CBI filed FIR in Chhattisgarh PSC recruitment scam, former chairman also under investigation; Know what is the ‘nepotism’ racket?

CBI filed FIR in Chhattisgarh PSC recruitment scam

Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission, The CBI has registered an FIR against the former chairman of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission and others in connection with an alleged nepotism racket in which undeserving family members of politicians, PSC officials and public servants were recruited in lucrative government jobs during the Congress rule. Former CGPSC chairman Taman Singh Sonwani, former secretary Jeevan Kishor Dhruv and an examination controller have been booked for allegedly helping their sons, daughters, relatives and acquaintances get high marks in the merit list to ensure recruitment to deputy collector, deputy SP and other such posts, officials said. The agency on Monday carried out searches at the residential premises of Sonwani, Dhruv and others in Raipur and Bhilai. The CBI took over the investigation on a February 16 reference from the Chhattisgarh government.

CBI twice FIR Registered and started investigation

A CBI spokesperson said that as per procedure, the agency has re-registered the FIR, which was earlier investigated by the Economic Offences Wing of the state police. The BJP will oust the Congress from Chhattisgarh in the assembly elections to be held in November 2023. The FIR alleged that family members of high-ranking government officials and prominent politicians, including those from the ruling party, were the main beneficiaries of the recruitment.

It alleged that five members of Sonwani’s family – son Nitesh and daughter-in-law Nisha Kosle were appointed as deputy collectors, elder brother’s son Sahil as deputy SP, daughter-in-law Deepa Adil as district excise officer and sister’s daughter Sunita Joshi as labour officer. It was also alleged that the then secretary (Dhruv) of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission got his son (Sumit) selected for the post of deputy collector, a CBI spokesperson said. The complaint, which is now part of the CBI FIR, alleged that candidates who secured positions from serial number 1-171 in the merit list are allegedly related to government officials, politicians and influential persons.

It names deputy collectors, including Chhattisgarh Governor’s secretary Amrit Kumar Singh’s son Nikhil and daughter Neha, Bastar Naxal Operations DIG P L Dhruv’s daughter Sakshi, a Congress leader’s daughter Ananya Agarwal, senior Congress leader Sudhir Katiyar’s daughter Bhumika Katiyar and son-in-law Shashank Goyal, Congress leader Rajendra Shukla’s daughter Swarnim Shukla and senior Congress leader Rajendra Kumar Kaushik’s son. The complaint alleges that relatives of associates of Congress leaders, including Pragya Nayak, who was selected as deputy collector, Prakhar Nayak, who was selected as financial services officer, and Khushboo Bijaura, who was selected as deputy collector, were also beneficiaries of the alleged scam.

Papers were first made available to relatives of politicians

It has been alleged that if a relative of an officer of Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission appears in the examination, then the concerned person has to separate himself from the process after informing other members and officers of the commission, which Sonwani did not do. It is alleged that Sonwani violated the rules and selected his family members and relatives of other officers and influential persons, which is considered corruption. The complaint has alleged that the candidates who scored good marks in the examination are relatives of PSC officers, government officials and politicians. This shows that the exam paper was made available to the candidates in advance, due to which they got good marks and got good rank in the results.