Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Sep 2: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, on Tuesday conducted search operations at five premises across Raipur, Durg, Dhamtari and Jashpur districts of Chhattisgarh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and arrested key accused Utkarsh Chandrakar in connection with alleged irregularities, question-paper leaks and corruption in the recruitment process conducted by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC).
The ED probe was initiated on the basis of two FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Raipur, and the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Corruption Branch, Raipur.
The cases name Taman Singh Sonwani, the then chairman of CGPSC, and others in connection with alleged manipulation and corruption in the State Service Examinations held in 2020 and 2021, the ED said in a press note.
Investigators found that question papers of the CGPSC examinations were allegedly leaked to relatives of the accused and selected candidates through private brokers in exchange for illegal gratification.
The alleged leaks enabled fraudulent selections to senior government posts, including Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police, the agency said.
Further investigation revealed that Utkarsh Chandrakar and Dr Vikash Chandrakar allegedly generated proceeds of crime exceeding Rs 3 crore. The amount was collected in cash from job aspirants in exchange for promises of supplying leaked question papers for the CGPSC-2021 examination.
Of this amount, approximately Rs 2.80 crore was allegedly handed over to Anil Chandrakar.
According to the ED, Utkarsh Chandrakar allegedly used the name, position and influence of his maternal uncle, K.K. Chandravanshi, who was then Personal Assistant to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, as well as that of the then Officer on Special Duty in the Chief Minister’s Office, to influence aspirants and collect money.
The ED had earlier conducted searches in the case on June 3, 2026.
Evidence gathered during those searches, statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, digital data recovered from Utkarsh Chandrakar’s mobile phone and analysis of his bank statements established, according to the agency, that he was knowingly involved in the generation, acquisition, possession, concealment, layering, transfer and projection of proceeds of crime as untainted property.
Based on these findings, the ED arrested Chandrakar on September 1 under Section 19 of the PMLA.
During the latest searches, officials seized incriminating documents, digital devices, financial records, property-related papers and other material considered relevant to the investigation.
The ED said further investigation into the case is continuing.