Original account (manthan_d007) blocked without notification - login now creates duplicate account

Hi CodeChef Team / Moderators,

I’m posting from a new account because my original account, manthan_d007
(https://www.codechef.com/users/manthan_d007)
, is now showing “This user is
blocked by CodeChef.”

I did not receive any email or in-app notification explaining the reason
for the block. I’ve also emailed help@codechef.com but haven’t heard back yet.

For transparency: during my last contest I used ChatGPT for a small amount
of assistance. I understand from the Code of Conduct that using AI tools to
derive problem-solving logic is not allowed, and I suspect this may be the
reason - but I’d like official confirmation rather than assuming.

Separately, I want to flag a technical issue: when I sign in using the same
Google account that was linked to manthan_d007, CodeChef does not log me
into that account - instead it creates a brand new account. This new
account (the one I’m posting from) is not something I intend to actively
use, since I understand multiple accounts go against the Code of Conduct.
I just want my original account reviewed and resolved first.

Could someone from the team please help clarify:

  1. The specific reason my account was blocked
  2. Whether there’s a formal appeal process
  3. Why Google Sign-In is creating a duplicate account instead of logging
    into the original one

Thanks in advance for any help.

Username in question: manthan_d007