The anti-graft central probe agency CBI has taken over the probe into allegations of favouritism in the selection of candidates for the posts of Deputy Collectors, Deputy Superintendent of Police and other senior state officers by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission following the examination conducted by it during the years 2020 -22, officials said on Monday.
The officials said the CBI has taken over the case following a request made by the Chhattisgarh government, which was initially registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the state police.
The EOW had registered an FIR against then Chairman Taman Singh Sonwani, then Secretary Jeevan Kishore Dhruv, then Controller of Examinations of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) and others. The allegations include abusing their official position by recruiting their sons, daughters, relatives, and acquaintances, who were allegedly ineligible candidates for various posts in the state government following the examination and interviews conducted during the year 2020-2022.
A senior CBI official said, “In the EOW FIR, it has been alleged that the son of the then Chairman was allegedly selected as Deputy Collector, his elder brother’s son as Deputy Superintendent of Police, his sister’s daughter as Labour Officer, the wife of his son as Deputy Collector and his brother’s daughter-in-law as District Excise Officer.”
The then secretary of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission got his son selected to the post of Deputy Collector, he alleged, while adding that others included sons, daughters, relatives of the then senior officers of the government of Chhattisgarh, political leaders and functionaries, were selected as Deputy Collectors and Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Following the registration of its own case in the matter, CBI sleuths conducted searches at multiple locations, including the residential premises of the then Chairman and the Secretary and the official premises of the Controller of Examination, CGPSC, in Raipur and Bhilai, the officials said.