The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at seven locations across Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering linked to irregularities in the 2021 recruitment examination by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC.
Sonwani was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in July as part of its investigation related to alleged corruption, question paper leaks, and manipulation of the CGPSC conducted state service examinations. Sonwani was also arrested by CBI in 2024, news agency PTI said. In a statement on July 27, ED said that while functioning as the CGPSC chairman, Sonwani allegedly entered into a criminal conspiracy with other public servants and private individuals.
They allegedly leaked question papers and “manipulated” the selection process in exchange for illegal gratification to secure the fraudulent selection of his own relatives and other favoured candidates for senior public posts, including deputy collector and deputy superintendent of police.
“The recruitment rules of the CGPSC were amended in 2021 to remove the word “nephew” from the definition of “family,” thereby facilitating the selection of the relatives of Sonwani,” it had said.
It was alleged that relatives and acquaintances of senior officials and politically influential persons were favoured in the recruitment process. The allegations triggered a wider investigation into the functioning of the commission and the role of its former chairman Taman Singh Sonwani and other officials.
