Former Assam PSC chief, 31 others convicted in recruitment scam case

A case against former APSC chairman Rakesh Paul and 43 others was lodged in 2017 following a complaint by an ADO job applicant, who alleged that Paul and others had asked for a bribe of ₹15 lakh for a job

Updated on: Jul 22, 2024, 14:36:34 IST

By Utpal Parashar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A special court in Guwahati on Monday convicted a former chairman of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) and 31 others in connection with a case involving irregularities in recruitment of agriculture development officers (ADOs).

For representational purposes only. (Shutterstock)

A case against former APSC chairman Rakesh Paul and 43 others was lodged in 2017 following a complaint by an ADO job applicant, who alleged that Paul and others had asked for a bribe of ₹15 lakh for a job.

The special court pronounced 10 of the accused as not guilty, while one accused turned approver.

To be sure, Paul, who is at present on bail, and 66 others are already facing trial in a separate cash-for-jobs case involving vacancies in state civil and police services during the civil service examinations in 2013.

In the present case, examinations for the posts of ADOs were conducted in 2015 and the results were declared in 2016. After the case was lodged in 2017, the police examined 1,075 candidates who had appeared for the exam and found that marks secured by 27 candidates were altered and increased.

The other 29 accused include candidates who had got selected through fraudulent means and brokers involved in the scam. The court has not pronounced quantum of sentence for them yet.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Home/Cities/Others/Former Assam PSC Chief, 31 Others Convicted In Recruitment Scam Case