1 2025:CGHC:43823-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPPIL No. 74 of 2025 1 - Varun Kumar S/o Nilkanth Sahu Aged About 28 Years R/o Karonja Bhilai, P.S. Pulgaon, District Durg, Chhattisgarh 2 - Sandeep Yadav S/o Shri Kripalram Yadav Aged About 32 Years R/o Daupara, Mungeli, P.S. Mungeli, District Mungeli Chhattisgarh 3 - Purushottam Rathia S/o Santuram Rathia Aged About 32 Years R/o Village Patrapali, P.S. Raigarh, District Raigarh, Chhattisgarh 4 - David Baghel S/o Shri Salikram Baghel Aged About 34 Years R/o Pali, P.S. Pali, District Korba, Chhattisgarh 5 - Pravin Kumar Sahu S/o Shri Tuman Lal Sahu Aged About 23 Years R/o Karonja Bhilai, District Durg, Chhattisgarh SHOAIB ANWAR Digitally signed by SHOAIB ANWAR Date: 2025.08.29 16:57:43 +0530 2 6 - Vikash Jaishwal S/o Shri Mahesh Jaishwal Aged About 24 Years R/o Chakarbhata, P.S. Mungeli, Tehsil Mungeli, Chhattisgarh 7 - Surendra Jaishwal S/o Ashwant Raj Jaishwal Aged About 25 Years R/o Chakarbhata, P.S. Tehsil And District Mungeli, Chhattisgarh 8 - Laxman Prasad Kewat S/o Radhe Lal Kewat Aged About 26 Years R/o Village Shiotakri, Masturi, District Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Home Department, Mahanadi Bhawan, Naya Raipur, District Raipur Chhattisgarh 2 - Director General Of Police Chhattisgarh, Head Quarter, Naya Raipur, District Raipur, Chhattisgarh 3 - Timing Technologies India Private Limited Through Its Director, Office At 3rd Floor West Wing, Block 1, My Home Hub, Madhapur Hyderabad, India 3 4 - Central Bureau Of Investigation Plot No. 5-B, 6th Floor, Cgo Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003 ... Respondent(s) (Cause title taken from CIS) For Petitioner(s) : Shri B.P. Singh, Advocate along with Shri Shikhar Bakhtyar, Advocate. For Respective Respondents/State : Shri Y.S. Thakur, Additional Advocate General Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Bibhu Datta Guru, Judge Order on Board Per Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice 29.08.2025 1. Heard learned counsel for the parties. 2. By the present petition (PIL), the petitioners seek for the following reliefs:- “i. That, in the public interest this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue appropriate writ and quash the 'Physical Efficiency Test' for Recruitment, 2023 in light of Advertisement dated 20/10/2023 (Annexure P/1) and further to 'reconduct' the 'Physical Efficiency Test for Recruitment Year, 2023. ii. This Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to 'punish/or to order for initiating departmental enquiry for those officers 4 who were involved in giving/raising higher marks to unsuccessful candidates, illegally or unfairly. Iii. That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue a writ/writs, direction/directions, directing thorough, independent CBI investigation into the manner in which the public servants and stakeholders knowingly allowed such irregularities at the test centers. iv. That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue writ/writs, direction/directions, directing a registration of a First Information Report under the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act against all officers, employees, and the employees of the Respondent No.3.” 3. Case of the petitioners is that the petitioners, aspirants for the post of Constable (GD) in the Chhattisgarh District Police Force, have come before this Court challenging the widespread and systemic irregularities, corruption, and malpractices that have deeply compromised the recruitment process conducted in 2023. Despite compliance with the eligibility and procedural requirements, the Petitioners uncovered serious manipulation during the Physical Efficiency Tests carried out by Respondent No. 3 (the outsourced Hyderabad company) and local recruitment committees, including inflated marks, destruction of CCTV evidence, and collusion between private agencies and 5 police officials. The malpractices resulted in unfair advantages for candidates who paid bribes, while deserving candidates were grossly prejudiced. Complaints lodged by the Petitioners and others have been met with administrative apathy, threats from police authorities, and suppression of evidence, thereby destroying public trust in the entire recruitment exercise. The Petitioners submit that due to the direct involvement and complicity of local authorities and Respondent No. 3, an impartial investigation by an independent agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Crime Investigation Department (CID) is necessary to unearth the full extent of the scandal. The petition thus prays for a thorough, court monitored inquiry to protect the fundamental rights of the Petitioners, ensure accountability, and restore credibility to the recruitment process for the benefit of all genuine candidates. 4. Heard on I.A. No. 01/2025. 5. The petitioners filed the aforesaid application seeking exemption from depositing the security by assigning that the petitioners are unemployed youth and are facing acute financial hardship. They would also submit that the present PIL espouses a cause which directly affects several similar situated 6 candidates and there is neither any personal or pecuniary gain sought, therefore they sought for exemption from depositing the security amount. 6. Rule 81 of the High Court of Chhattisgarh Rules 2007 provides that unless otherwise directed, a petitioner in a Public Interest Litigation shall submit proof of deposit of security amount of Rs. 15,000/- at the time of presentation of a Public Interest Litigation. Therefore without depositing the requisite security amount the petition cannot be entertained. 7. On due consideration and for the reasons mentioned hereinabove, I.A. No. 01/2025 is rejected. 8. At this juncture, learned counsel for the petitioners wants to withdraw this petition with liberty to file a fresh petition by depositing the security amount 9. Consequently, the present WP(PIL) is dismissed as withdrawn with the aforesaid liberty. Sd/- Sd/- (Bibhu Datta Guru) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice Shoaib