Former Chhattisgarh PSC Chairman Arrested by ED in Paper Leak Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday arrested Taman Singh Sonwani, former chairman of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC), on charges of money laundering linked to an alleged leak of examination papers. The arrest was made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after questioning, officials said.

The case pertains to the alleged leak of question papers and manipulation of state service examinations conducted by the CGPSC in 2020 and 2021. The ED claims that Sonwani facilitated the selection of candidates in exchange for illegal gratification, including his own relatives and others who paid bribes.

According to the agency, recruitment rules of the PSC were amended in 2021 to remove the word 'nephew' from the definition of family, allegedly to enable the selection of his relatives to government posts. The ED also alleged that bribes were partly collected in cash and partly laundered through a family-controlled 'samiti' in the guise of corporate social responsibility (CSR) donations for a non-existent college. About ₹45 lakh was allegedly routed from a private company as a quid pro quo for selecting two Deputy Collectors.

The money laundering investigation stems from a 2024 First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI had registered the case based on a complaint from the Chhattisgarh police, which was filed after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state in November 2023, defeating the Indian National Congress. Sonwani had earlier been arrested by the CBI in 2024 in connection with the same case.

Sonwani is being produced before a special PMLA court in Raipur, where the ED will seek his custodial remand, an official said. The former PSC chief has not yet commented on the allegations.