Recruitment irregularities: SC seeks CBI’s reply on bail plea of ex-Chhattisgarh PSC secretary

The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the CBI on a plea filed by a former secretary of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission seeking bail in a case related to alleged irregularities in the recruitment process during 2020-2022. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih and Sandeep Mehta was hearing the plea filed by Jeevan Kishor Dhruv, who challenged an August 5 order of the Chhattisgarh High Court denying him bail in the case.

The CBI arrested Dhruv, who was serving as the secretary of the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGSC) when the alleged irregularities took place, in September last year.

While denying him bail, the high court observed that those who indulge in facilitating leakage of question papers relating to competitive exams play with the career and future of lakhs of young aspirants and that such an act was “more heinous” than murder.

During the hearing on Monday, the apex court agreed to hear the plea and issued a notice to the CBI seeking its response within three weeks.

It said the petitioner can file a rejoinder affidavit one week thereafter, and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.

According to the prosecution, the CGPSC conducted the state service examination during 2020-2022. It was alleged that during that period, the petitioner was posted as the secretary of the Commission and it was his official duty to maintain strict confidentiality in respect of the exams conducted by the Commission.

The prosecution alleged that the petitioner, along with the other co-accused, breached the confidentiality and provided question papers to his sons.

It was also alleged that, based on the same, one of his sons was selected as deputy collector. His son is also an accused in the case.

Dhruv had approached the High Court seeking bail in the case. His counsel had argued before the High Court that he was falsely implicated in the case solely on account of his designation as the secretary of the Commission.

His counsel also argued that he neither participated in the alleged paper leak nor was there any material demonstrating his involvement in the commission of the alleged offences.

“Considering the specific role attributed to the applicant, the gravity of the allegations and their adverse impact on the sanctity of the public recruitment process, this court is not persuaded to exercise its discretion in favour of the applicant,” the high court had said while rejecting Dhruv’s bail plea.

Besides Dhruv, several others, including the then-chairman of the Commission, Taman Singh Sonwani, are accused in the case.