Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey on Tuesday, 11 August raised pointed questions over the arrest of Dharmendra Kumar, a computer operator and accused in the alleged Jharkhand paper leak case, demanding that Chief Minister Hemant Soren clarify whether senior officials implicated in the scandal would face accountability or a cover-up.

Dubey's Allegations on X

Dubey posted on social media platform X, questioning from whose office or residence the arrest of Dharmendra Kumar was carried out. In his post, he wrote: 'From whose office/home of a big official was the arrest of Dharmendra, one of the accused in the Jharkhand paper leak, carried out? Chief Minister Hemant Soren Ji, that official has an old account of stains too, what will it be, a cover-up or action?' He also took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging that Gandhi lacked the resolve to act beyond press conferences and social media activity.

Former JPSC Chairman Arrested

The BJP MP's remarks follow the arrest of former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Chairman L. Khiangte by the state CID on Monday, in connection with alleged irregularities in the JPSC 14th Civil Services Examination. Khiangte, a former Chief Secretary of Jharkhand, had resigned from the JPSC chairmanship on 22 July, stating at the time that his resignation was intended to facilitate a fair and impartial investigation.

Khiangte has been under scrutiny over the empanelment of TDPL, a company reportedly blacklisted, to conduct the JPSC 14th Civil Services Examination — a decision that sits at the heart of the alleged irregularities.

Key Arrests in the Case

Multiple arrests have been made across both the private vendor and the commission itself. On the TDPL side, those arrested include Director Ramveer Singh, Marketing Manager Abhay Tiwari, Accountant Rakshak Singh, and technical programmers Usman and Ebad.

From the JPSC, Deputy Controller of Examinations Shweta Kumari Gupta, staff member Sonu Kumar, and computer operator Dharmendra Kumar have also been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.

Interrogations Deepen the Probe

Dharmendra Kumar was questioned for the second consecutive day on 7 August, with investigators seeking details about his specific role, responsibilities, and the official email accounts he managed — a line of inquiry that could expose the chain of command. Meanwhile, TDPL accountant Rakshak Singh was interrogated about alleged contacts with candidates, tampering with OMR sheets, and financial transactions linked to the case.

What Comes Next

The investigation by the state CID is ongoing, with the probe now reaching into the upper echelons of Jharkhand's administrative machinery. Dubey's public challenge to Chief Minister Soren signals that the case is set to intensify as a political flashpoint ahead of any forthcoming electoral cycle in the state. Whether the arrests lead to deeper accountability — or stall at the level of mid-ranking officials — will be the defining question in the weeks ahead.