A Press Release Issued by CBI
TFP Bureau, Raipur, November 19, 2024: Former Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) Chairman Taman Sonawani and Bajrang Power Steel Director SK Goyal, arrested in the ongoing CGPSC scam investigation, were produced in court today. The Special Court granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) a 7-day remand for both accused individuals, allowing the agency to question them regarding various aspects of the case. While the CBI had requested a 12-day remand, the court approved only 7 days after hearing arguments from both parties.
Sonawani, a key figure in the scam, is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 45 lakh from candidates in exchange for favorable selections in the CGPSC examination. SK Goyal, the director of Bajrang Power Steel in Raipur, is implicated in the case as well, with reports suggesting that his son and daughter-in-law were among those selected in the CGPSC exams under suspicious circumstances.
The CBI has been actively investigating the case, having raided Sonawani’s residence earlier this year. His arrest followed the raid, marking a significant development in the probe into alleged corruption within the CGPSC.
Speaking on behalf of Sonawani, his lawyer, Ganesh Giri Goswami, denied the CBI’s allegations, calling them “completely wrong.” Goswami confirmed that the court had instructed the CBI to adhere to all Supreme Court guidelines during the remand period. He also noted that Sonawani’s interrogation would take place in the presence of a lawyer. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for November 25, when further developments are expected.
As the investigation unfolds, the CBI continues to probe the extent of the alleged bribery network within the CGPSC, with both Sonawani and Goyal at the center of the inquiry.
