The Chhattisgarh High Court has rejected the bail plea of former Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Secretary and retired IAS officer Jeevan Kishore Dhruv, who is accused in the alleged 2021 CGPSC recruitment scam and paper leak case.

Dismissing the plea, Justice B.D. Guru observed that leaking question papers of competitive examinations and compromising the future of lakhs of young aspirants is a crime "graver than murder." The court remarked that while murder devastates a single family, a paper leak destroys the trust of an entire generation in the examination system.

Court Makes Strong Observation

The single-judge bench made the observation while refusing interim relief to Dhruv, who has been in judicial custody since September 18, 2025.

According to the court, the integrity of public recruitment examinations is vital for maintaining public confidence in government institutions. Any attempt to manipulate the selection process strikes at the foundation of fairness and meritocracy.

Allegations Against Former Secretary

The case relates to alleged irregularities in the CGPSC 2021 recruitment process, in which former CGPSC Chairman Taman Singh Sonwani, former Secretary Jeevan Kishore Dhruv, and several other officials have been accused of favouring relatives and selected candidates during recruitment.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, stated that Dhruv assumed charge as CGPSC Secretary on October 6, 2020, and the recruitment notification for the 2021 examination was issued under his signature.

Investigators allege that he misused his official position to obtain confidential main examination question papers before the examination and passed them on to his son, Sumit Dhruv, who was later selected as a Deputy Collector.

CBI Claims Documentary Evidence

During searches at Dhruv's residence in Bhilai, the CBI reportedly recovered several documents linked to the examination.

According to the agency, investigators found answers to 42 out of 47 questions from the General Studies Paper-VII, along with answer sheets related to the essay paper.

The probe also found that four topics allegedly prepared in advance by Sumit Dhruv—including cryptocurrency, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, development of Dantewada district, and the Chhattisgarh Tonhi Harassment Prevention Act—were among the essay questions asked in the examination.

The CBI has argued that these recoveries, along with witness statements, support allegations of criminal conspiracy and abuse of official position.

Defence Arguments Rejected

Seeking bail, the defence argued that Jeevan Kishore Dhruv had been falsely implicated solely because he served as CGPSC Secretary. It was submitted that his name did not appear in the original FIR and that he had informed the commission in advance about his sons appearing in the examination while recusing himself from confidential work.

The defence also pointed out that the investigation had been completed and the CBI had already filed its charge sheet.

However, the CBI opposed the plea, maintaining that Dhruv occupied a constitutional public office entrusted with safeguarding the confidentiality of the examination process. The agency argued that the evidence collected during investigation was substantial and warranted continued custody.

Background of the CGPSC Recruitment Scam

The alleged scam relates to recruitment examinations conducted by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission between 2020 and 2022.

Investigators claim that transparency was compromised during written examinations and interviews, enabling candidates linked to politically and administratively influential families to secure appointments to key government posts, including Deputy Collector, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and other gazetted positions.

The state government later handed over the investigation to the CBI, which has conducted multiple searches and recovered documents forming the basis of the ongoing prosecution.

The 2021 CGPSC recruitment drive was conducted for 171 vacancies. The preliminary examination was held on February 13, 2022, followed by the mains examination between May 26 and May 29, 2022. The final selection list of 170 candidates was published on May 11, 2023.

Investigations into the recruitment process remain underway, while separate financial probes linked to the alleged scam are also being pursued by enforcement agencies.