ED arrests Utkarsh Chandrakar in CGPSC paper leak scam, raids 5 Chhattisgarh premises
Synopsis
The ED has arrested Utkarsh Chandrakar — allegedly the key broker in the CGPSC paper leak — after tracing over ₹3 crore in proceeds of crime collected from job aspirants. The case implicates a former Chief Minister's office staffer and exposes how senior public service appointments, including Deputy Collector posts, were allegedly sold through a private brokerage network.
Key Takeaways
The ED arrested Utkarsh Chandrakar on 1 September under Section 19 of the PMLA in the CGPSC paper leak case.
Searches were conducted at five premises across Raipur , Durg , Dhamtari , and Jashpur districts in Chhattisgarh .
Proceeds of crime allegedly exceeded ₹3 crore , with approximately ₹2.80 crore reportedly handed to Anil Chandrakar .
Leaked papers allegedly enabled fraudulent appointments to posts including Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police .
The accused allegedly used the influence of K.K.
Chandravanshi , then Personal Assistant to Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister, to collect money from aspirants.
Further investigation, including potential asset attachment under the PMLA, is ongoing.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, on Tuesday arrested key accused Utkarsh Chandrakar and conducted search operations at five premises across Raipur, Durg, Dhamtari, and Jashpur districts in Chhattisgarh in connection with the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission (CGPSC) question-paper leak and corruption case. The searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations held in 2020 and 2021.
Background and Probe Origins
The ED's investigation was initiated on the basis of two FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Raipur, and the Central Bureau of Investigation's Anti-Corruption Branch, Raipur. The cases name Taman Singh Sonwani, the then Chairman of CGPSC, and others for alleged manipulation and corruption in the State Service Examinations. According to the agency, question papers were leaked to relatives of the accused and to select candidates through private brokers in exchange for illegal gratification — enabling fraudulent appointments to senior posts including Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police.
How the Money Trail Unfolded
Investigators found that Utkarsh Chandrakar and Dr Vikash Chandrakar allegedly generated proceeds of crime exceeding ₹3 crore. The amount was collected in cash from job aspirants against the promise of supplying leaked question papers for the CGPSC-2021 examination. Of this, approximately ₹2.80 crore was reportedly handed over to Anil Chandrakar.
Utkarsh Chandrakar allegedly leveraged the name, position, and influence of his maternal uncle, K.K. Chandravanshi — who was then Personal Assistant to the then Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh — as well as that of the then Officer on Special Duty in the Chief Minister's office, to influence aspirants and collect money, according to the ED.
Evidence That Led to the Arrest
The ED had conducted an earlier round of searches in the matter on 3 June 2026. Evidence gathered during those searches — including statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, digital data recovered from Utkarsh Chandrakar's mobile phone, and analysis of his bank statements — established his alleged involvement in generating, acquiring, possessing, concealing, layering, transferring, and projecting proceeds of crime as untainted property, the agency said.
On the basis of these findings, Utkarsh Chandrakar was formally arrested on 1 September under Section 19 of the PMLA. During the latest searches, officials seized incriminating documents, digital devices, financial records, property-related papers, and other material relevant to the investigation.
What Comes Next
The ED has stated that further investigation into the case is continuing. The arrests and seizures mark a significant escalation in a case that has already drawn scrutiny over the integrity of Chhattisgarh's public service recruitment process. With proceeds of crime traced, named accused in custody, and digital evidence secured, the agency is likely to pursue further arrests and asset attachment proceedings under the PMLA.
Point of View
With a Chief Minister's office connection at its centre. The allegation that a CM's Personal Assistant's name was used to extract cash from aspirants points to a systemic vulnerability: proximity to political power can be packaged and sold in India's competitive public-service recruitment market. What makes this case notable is the ED's ability to trace a cash-based proceeds chain exceeding ₹3 crore — a reminder that even informal brokerage networks leave digital and financial footprints. The broader question is whether the selections that resulted from this alleged fraud will be annulled, and whether the candidates who paid — many of them victims of deception — will face consequences alongside those who ran the scheme.
NationPress
2 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Utkarsh Chandrakar and why was he arrested?
Utkarsh Chandrakar is a key accused in the CGPSC paper leak case, arrested by the ED on 1 September under Section 19 of the PMLA. He allegedly collected over ₹3 crore in cash from job aspirants by promising access to leaked question papers for the CGPSC-2021 examination.
What is the CGPSC paper leak scam?
The CGPSC paper leak scam involves alleged manipulation and corruption in Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission examinations held in 2020 and 2021. Question papers were reportedly leaked to select candidates through private brokers in exchange for cash, enabling fraudulent appointments to senior posts including Deputy Collector and Deputy Superintendent of Police.
What is the role of K.K. Chandravanshi in the case?
K.K. Chandravanshi was the Personal Assistant to the then Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. According to the ED, Utkarsh Chandrakar allegedly used Chandravanshi's name and influence — without necessarily implicating him directly — to lend credibility to his brokerage operation and collect money from aspirants.
How much money was allegedly collected and where did it go?
Investigators found that Utkarsh Chandrakar and Dr Vikash Chandrakar generated proceeds of crime exceeding ₹3 crore. Of this, approximately ₹2.80 crore was allegedly handed over to Anil Chandrakar, according to the ED's findings.
What happens next in the CGPSC ED investigation?
The ED has stated that further investigation is continuing. With digital evidence, financial records, and property papers seized, the agency is expected to pursue asset attachment proceedings under the PMLA and may make additional arrests in the coming weeks.
