Former JPSC Chairman L Khiangte Arrested As Protest Intensify In Jharkhand

Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Monday arrested Former Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) chairman L Khiangte in connection with alleged irregularities surrounding the commission’s 14th Civil Services Examination, amid continuing protests by aspirants over recruitment examinations in the state.

Khiangte, a former Jharkhand Chief Secretary, is being investigated over the JPSC’s decision to engage TSR Data Processing Limited (TDPL) for examination-related work despite the company having previously been blacklisted.

The CID suspects that Khiangte accepted bribes from TDPL in return for awarding the company a contract connected with the examination process. His arrest followed several rounds of questioning during which investigators examined decisions taken by the commission, including the selection of examination agencies and the handling of sensitive examination-related information.

Khiangte had resigned as JPSC chairman on July 22, 2026, saying that he was stepping down to allow a fair investigation into the allegations.

His arrest also comes a day after three serving JPSC members resigned amid reports that they had been summoned by the CID for questioning over decisions linked to examinations and the appointment of agencies.

The development unfolded as thousands of aspirants marched towards the Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha on Monday, demanding action over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations conducted by the JPSC and the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC).

Despite several rounds of negotiations, the government and protesting students remain divided over one key demand: whether the investigation should remain with the state CID or be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Hemant Soren government has argued that the CID is already investigating the allegations and that the probe has resulted in arrests. Student leaders, however, maintain that only a CBI investigation can determine the full extent of the alleged irregularities and ensure that the inquiry remains free of state-level influence.

What Has The CID Found So Far?

The state government has pointed to the progress made by the CID as evidence that an investigation into the recruitment controversy is already under way.

The agency has been examining alleged irregularities linked to JPSC examinations, particularly the role of TSR Data Processing Private Limited, an outside agency engaged by the commission for examination-related work.

According to The New Indian Express, TDPL had been blacklisted by the JSSC in May 2025 over alleged irregularities. Despite this, the company was later selected for work related to JPSC examinations, and the circumstances under which the contract was awarded are now part of the CID investigation.

Investigators are also examining the security of examination data, the handling of confidential information, the functioning of the commission and the role played by officials in selecting agencies responsible for conducting examinations.

The probe has so far led to the arrest of several people, including TDPL employees, JPSC officials, candidates and alleged middlemen.

Before Khiangte’s arrest, CID officials had questioned him on multiple occasions and carried out searches at his residence as well as the JPSC office.

His arrest is now among the most significant developments in the investigation, given his position as chairman of the commission when key decisions under scrutiny were taken.

Why Are Students Still Demanding A CBI Probe?

For protesting aspirants, the dispute is no longer only about whether the alleged irregularities are being investigated. Their central concern is over which agency should conduct that investigation.

Student leaders have questioned whether a state investigating agency can independently examine allegations involving a state recruitment commission, senior officials and the wider administrative machinery.

Aspirants had earlier raised similar questions about the CID investigation into an alleged JSSC-CGL paper leak, asking why the findings of that probe had not been made public and whether investigators had identified the alleged mastermind behind the case.

They have also expressed concerns about the possibility of political or administrative influence over an investigation conducted by a state agency.

As a result, protesters are demanding that the CBI investigate the wider recruitment controversy, including examinations in which TDPL was involved.

Student leader Ravindra Paswan said after talks with the government on Sunday that aspirants wanted all examinations conducted through TDPL to be cancelled and the entire matter handed over to the CBI.

The government, however, has maintained that it has already accepted around 98 per cent of the protesters’ demands and has pointed to the ongoing CID probe as evidence that action is being taken.

Protesters Face Police Action In Ranchi

The confrontation intensified on Monday when students marching towards the Jharkhand Assembly broke through barricades in Ranchi.

Police used water cannons and resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the protesters as they attempted to move towards the Vidhan Sabha.

The police action came despite Chief Minister Hemant Soren maintaining that problems within the state should be resolved through dialogue rather than the use of batons.