Raipur, July 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested former Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Chairman Taman Singh Sonwani in connection with an alleged recruitment scam involving question paper leaks, manipulation of the State Service Examinations and corruption under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
According to an official statement issued by the ED, Sonwani was arrested by the agency’s Raipur Zonal Office on July 25 under Section 19 of the PMLA. He was subsequently produced before the Special PMLA Court in Raipur, which remanded him to ED custody for seven days till July 30.
The money laundering investigation stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB), Raipur, and the subsequent investigation carried out by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The case relates to alleged irregularities in the conduct of the CGPSC State Service Examinations held in 2020 and 2021.
The ED alleged that Sonwani, while serving as CGPSC Chairman, entered into a criminal conspiracy with other public servants and private individuals to leak examination question papers and manipulate the recruitment process in exchange for illegal gratification.
According to the agency, the alleged conspiracy enabled the fraudulent selection of Sonwani’s relatives and other favoured candidates to key government positions, including Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The investigation has also revealed that the CGPSC recruitment rules were amended in 2021 by removing the word “nephew” from the definition of “family.” The ED alleged that this change facilitated the selection of Sonwani’s relatives during the recruitment process.
The agency further claimed that the alleged proceeds of crime were received partly in cash and partly through layered banking transactions. It stated that during his examination under Section 50 of the PMLA, Sonwani allegedly gave evasive and non-cooperative responses while suppressing material facts.
The ED said the arrest was necessary to trace the proceeds of crime, establish the money trail and identify other individuals allegedly involved in the recruitment racket. The investigation is continuing.
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