Raipur: The special court of CBI on Tuesday sent seven days judicial remand to the accused of CGPSC recruitment scandal Taman Singh Sonwani (retired IAS) former Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), and Shravan Kumar Goel, Whole Time Director of Bajrang Power and Ispat Ltd. Both the accused were presented before a CBI Special Court, which granted a seven-day remand.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested the both men in their alleged role in the infamous CGPSC recruitment scandal. The CBI alleges that Goel transferred 45 lakh from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds to an NGO linked to Sonwani in exchange for securing jobs for his son, Shashank Goel, and daughter-in-law, Bhumika. CBI alleged it is an act of bribery.
Investigators claim the money ultimately reached Sonwani. Following verification of these claims, the CBI took action. After the issue got highlighted, Company Bajrang Power and Ispat Ltd discontinued the Goel's photo from its Company's official website. The CBI will continue questioning Sonwani and Goel until November 25. During their remand, the court has allowed them to receive home-cooked food and granted them half-hour meetings with family members and lawyers.
However, the defense attorneys—Ganesh Giri Goswami, representing Sonwani, and Faisal Rizvi, representing Goel—contend that the arrests are intended to harass their clients. They assert that the CSR funds were transferred to an NGO, where Sonwani’s wife serves as president, and deny any personal financial transactions.
The investigation has revealed allegations of widespread irregularities in CGPSC recruitment during Sonwani's tenure, with claims that he appointed numerous relatives, including 18 family members of Congress officials, to key positions. Evidence of financial transactions related to these appointments has been uncovered, with further claims that children of political leaders and bureaucrats were appointed to high-ranking posts like Deputy Collector and DSP in return for monetary payments.
According to the CBI, both Sonwani and Goel played a significant role in the recruitment scam, with Goel accused of making substantial payments to officials. The agency is expected to make further revelations in the coming weeks. The case is centered on allegations of corruption and irregularities occurred in the recruitment process for CGPSC exams conducted between 2020 and 2022.
The recruitment for 175 positions by CGPSC in 2020 and 171 positions in 2021 is under scrutiny. The CBI is investigating the case. The 2021 recruitment process began with a preliminary exam on February 13, 2022, in which 2,565 candidates passed. The main examination followed in May 2022, with 509 candidates proceeding to the interview stage. A final list of 170 selected candidates was released in May 2023.
Just after publishing of the result and merit list the whole issue shrouded into controversy resulted into political turmoil for then Congress led Bhupesh Baghel government. However, on the issue BJP spokesperson Gauri Shankar Shrivas, who had previously raised concerns about the recruitment process while in opposition, has called for strict action against those involved.
He emphasized that individuals who manipulated the recruitment system for personal gain at the expense of deserving candidates should face severe consequences. Shrivas also demanded the arrest of the Secretary and the Controller of Examinations from the time, in addition to Sonwani, for their roles in the scandal. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also mentioned on his X account that all the culprits of the CGPSC scandal will have to face trials and will be punished as per law.