The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) Raipur Zonal Office has arrested Chetan Borghariya, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Office and currently serving as Additional Collector of Balrampur-Ramanujganj, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The arrest was effected on 11 September 2026 and is linked to alleged money laundering tied to large-scale irregularities in the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) State Service Examinations of 2020 and 2021.

Background and Origin of the Case

The ED investigation originated from an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB), Raipur, which flagged widespread corruption in the CGPSC examinations. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) subsequently assumed charge of the predicate offence probe, registering a fresh FIR against then CGPSC Chairman Taman Singh Sonwani and others, and filing charge sheets. The ED's money laundering inquiry runs parallel to the CBI's criminal investigation.

How the Alleged Scam Was Operated

According to ED findings, three individuals — Utkarsh Chandrakar, Anil Chandrakar, and Vikash Chandrakar — allegedly collected illegal gratification exceeding ₹3 crore from candidates appearing in the 2021 examination. They purportedly assured candidates of advance access to question papers and guaranteed selection by invoking influence in the then Chief Minister's Office. Borghariya's name and official designation as OSD were allegedly cited in these assurances to lend credibility to the scheme.

Investigation revealed that leaked question papers were physically distributed to select candidates before the Preliminary Examination. Candidates reportedly gathered at Siddhi Vinayak Marriage Palace in Raipur, where the papers were handed over. They were subsequently accommodated at Barnawapara Sanctuary Resort, where coaching based on allegedly leaked Mains papers was provided, according to the ED.

Financial Trail and Key Evidence

Financial scrutiny uncovered cash deposits totalling ₹66.64 lakh made through 170 transactions in Borghariya's bank account during the relevant period, along with multiple financial transactions between him and Utkarsh Chandrakar. The ED had searched Borghariya's premises on 1 September 2026, seizing digital devices including mobile phones. Forensic analysis of these devices revealed communications concerning financial transactions and demands for repayment.

Further investigation pointed to transactions involving M/s Figurecave E-Com (OPC) Private Limited, a firm suspected of being used for layering and movement of proceeds of crime. Digital records, banking data, and statements recorded under the PMLA collectively indicated Borghariya's alleged involvement in the acquisition, possession, concealment, and use of criminal proceeds.

Custody and Next Steps

Borghariya was formally arrested under Section 19 of the PMLA and produced before the Special Court (PMLA), Raipur, which remanded him to six days of ED custody for further interrogation. The investigation remains ongoing, with the ED indicating that the financial trail involving shell entities and intermediaries is still being mapped.

This arrest marks a significant escalation in a case that has already implicated the top brass of the CGPSC and individuals allegedly connected to the highest levels of the previous state administration.