Jharkhand’s Crime Investigation Department has arrested former Jharkhand Public Service Commission chairperson L Khiangte over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations, escalating a widening investigation that has already led to multiple arrests and resignations from the commission.
Khiangte, a retired 1988-batch IAS officer who also served as Jharkhand chief secretary, was taken into custody on Monday after several rounds of questioning. Investigators had questioned him four times since July 28 as they examined decisions surrounding the conduct of the 14th Combined Civil Services Examination and the selection of a private company involved in the process.
The arrest takes the number of people held in connection with the investigation to 20. Those previously arrested include commission personnel, job aspirants and employees associated with TSR Data Processing Private Limited, commonly referred to as TDPL, which was engaged for examination-related work.
Investigators are examining allegations that established procedures were bypassed while awarding work to TDPL, a Lucknow-based company that had faced blacklisting. The probe is also looking at suspected financial dealings connected with the decision. Allegations under investigation include claims that money was sought or offered to secure examination-related contracts. These allegations have not been proved in court.
Khiangte was appointed JPSC chairperson in February 2025 after retiring as Jharkhand chief secretary in October 2024. He resigned from the commission on July 22 as scrutiny of its recruitment process intensified. The CID subsequently searched locations linked to him and examined documents and electronic material as part of its inquiry.
His arrest marks the most significant action so far against a former senior office-holder of the commission. Three other JPSC members — Ajeeta Bhattacharya, Anima Hansda and Jamal Ahmad — also resigned after being summoned by investigators. Their resignations were accepted by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
The investigation has centred heavily on allegations involving the preliminary stage of the civil services recruitment process. Questions have been raised over examination administration, the selection of outside agencies and suspected leaks. The controversy prompted the commission to postpone the Combined Civil Services Mains Examination that had been scheduled for July 25-27.
The widening inquiry has unfolded alongside sustained protests by government job aspirants in Ranchi. Thousands of demonstrators marched towards the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday demanding stronger action over alleged examination irregularities and an independent investigation into recruitment processes conducted by the JPSC and Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission.
Police used water cannon and tear gas as protesters attempted to move past barricades near the Assembly. Baton charges were also reported during the confrontation. Several protesters and police personnel were injured as the demonstration, which followed more than two weeks of agitation, turned into one of the largest confrontations over recruitment examinations in the state.
Protesters have sought an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation or an independent panel of retired High Court judges from outside Jharkhand. Their demands extend beyond the JPSC case and include scrutiny of other recruitment examinations affected by allegations of paper leaks, procedural failures and manipulation.
The state government has said it is examining the demands and has moved towards additional investigative and judicial measures. It has proposed referring suspected financial irregularities connected with the JPSC case to the Enforcement Directorate and establishing a fast-track court to deal with matters arising from the examination controversy.
The Enforcement Directorate has also begun examining allegations surrounding recruitment examinations, adding a potential money-laundering dimension to investigations already being pursued by state agencies.
The controversy has increased pressure on the administration of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, with opposition parties seeking accountability for failures in recruitment systems. The BJP called a statewide bandh for Tuesday following the police action against demonstrators in Ranchi, while political groups backing the aspirants have demanded that examination agencies be made more transparent and accountable.
