Ex-IAS officer held in Rs 45L bribery case

RAIPUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a retired IAS officer from Chhattisgarh for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 45 lakh to get high-ranking administrative positions

through candidates.

Taman Singh Sonwani, former chairperson of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), landed in the middle of one of the biggest recruitment

scams in the country.

Investigators claim Sonwani allegedly accepted the bribe for getting two applicants, who were allegedly the son and daughter-in-law of one of the big Raipur-based steel business operators, appointed as deputy collectors. The businessman, identified as Shravan Kumar Goyal, allegedly paid the bribe in two instalments. The CBI has taken both Goyal and Sonwani into custody for the case.

The investigation followed a complaint lodged by a candidate from Balod district, accusing the preference of merit in the State Administrative Service Examination held last year. According to the complaint, merit was overlooked in the 2021 State Administrative Service Examination. The complainant had performed well in both written tests and interviews but was denied selection.

He further alleged that several relatives of Sonwani, including his son and nephew, were among the selected ones despite facing questions over their eligibility.