Chhattisgarh HC: Question paper leak more heinous than murder, bail denied in CGPSC case
The Chhattisgarh High Court has observed that leaking question papers for competitive examinations is an offence more heinous than murder, as it jeopardises the future of lakhs of students. Justice Bibhu Datta Guru made the remark while dismissing the bail application of Janak Kumar Dhruv, former secretary of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), in an alleged recruitment scam case.
The case pertains to allegations of corruption, question-paper leakage, and manipulation of the CGPSC State Service Examinations conducted in 2021 and 2022. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that due to these irregularities, relatives of influential individuals were selected by compromising the recruitment process.
The court, in its order dated August 5, 2026, said that a person who facilitates the leakage of question papers plays with the careers and futures of lakhs of young aspirants preparing for these tests. “Such an act is more heinous than murder because, while the killing of a person affects one family, the destruction of the careers of lakhs of aspirants adversely impacts society as a whole,” the judgment stated.
The CGPSC conducts the State Service Examination to select candidates for various administrative posts in the state government. The selection process comprises preliminary and main examinations, followed by interviews. Any compromise in this process can severely affect the merit-based selection of candidates and erode public confidence in the system.
Mr. Dhruv, who served as the secretary of the CGPSC during the relevant period, is accused of helping his son Sumit Dhruv secure selection as a Deputy Collector. The CBI submitted before the court that in his capacity as Commission Secretary, Mr. Dhruv was entrusted with maintaining strict confidentiality over all matters relating to the examinations. It alleged that he, along with other co-accused, breached this confidentiality for illegal direct and indirect gains and provided question papers to his sons. As a result, one of his sons was selected as a Deputy Collector, the agency said.
The applicant’s counsel argued that Mr. Dhruv was falsely implicated and that he neither participated in the alleged paper leak nor was there any material to establish his involvement. The court, however, rejected the bail plea and stated that the charges levelled against the accused, including the applicant, could not by any stretch of imagination be termed ordinary charges. “The action of the accused persons is a clear example of ‘fence eating the crop’,” the order noted.
The order also said that the prosecution had collected material to show that the applicant’s son had practised four specific topics, all of which subsequently appeared in the Main Examination, allegedly helping him secure selection as a Deputy Collector. “The recoveries effected from the residence of the applicant, coupled with the statements of witnesses and other documentary evidence, prima facie indicate his involvement in the alleged conspiracy,” the court stated.
The High Court’s observations underscore the gravity of examination irregularities, which not only disadvantage honest candidates but also undermine the integrity of the recruitment process. The denial of bail reflects the seriousness of the charges and the need for a thorough investigation. The case, being probed by the CBI, remains pending, and the accused has the option to seek legal remedies as per the law.
