CID Searches Former JPSC Chief L. Khiangte's Residence as Probe Into Exam Irregularities Deepens

Ranchi: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Jharkhand Police on Thursday conducted a search at the Ranchi residence of former Jharkhand Chief Secretary and ex-Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) Chairman L. Khiangte in connection with its investigation into alleged irregularities in the 14th Combined Civil Services Examination.

A CID team, accompanied by police personnel, searched Khiangte's Kanke Road residence and examined documents and records linked to the JPSC. Officials have not revealed whether any evidence was seized during the operation.

The search is part of the CID's investigation following an FIR registered after candidates raised allegations of irregularities in the 14th Combined Civil Services Preliminary Examination. The agency has registered Case No. 16/2026 and is probing various stages of the recruitment process.

The investigation gathered pace on July 21 when CID officials, along with Ranchi Police, carried out simultaneous raids at the JPSC headquarters and the office of the private agency responsible for conducting the examination. Investigators seized examination-related documents, computers, hard disks, pen drives and other digital storage devices during the operation.

Hours after those raids, Khiangte resigned as JPSC Chairman. Based on the preliminary findings, the CID registered an FIR on July 22 and arrested five individuals, including JPSC Deputy Examination Controller Shweta Kumari Gupta, TDPL Director Ramveer Singh, and company associates Mohd Usman, Mohd Ebad and Abhay Kumar Tiwari.

All five accused were produced before a court on Wednesday and remanded to judicial custody.

Sources said investigators are examining the entire examination process, including the preparation of results, handling of digital data and the role played by JPSC officials and the examination agency. The search at Khiangte's residence is part of this broader investigation.

The controversy erupted after the declaration of the preliminary examination results, with candidates alleging lack of transparency, procedural lapses and irregularities in the recruitment process. In response, the Jharkhand government handed over the case to the CID for a detailed investigation.

Following the ongoing probe, the JPSC has postponed the 14th Combined Civil Services Main Examination-2025 until further orders and has also deferred all examinations scheduled under its Examination Calendar-2026.

With inputs from IANS