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Assam job scam: Charges framed against 67 accused
The scam came to light in 2016 and 60 serving officers were arrested while 39 of them were terminated from service
GUWAHATI: A special court on Tuesday framed charges against 67 accused in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam. Former APSC chairperson Rakesh Paul is among those who have been charged.
The court declared Sudeep Das and Rajib Paul as absconders and exonerated Sailen Sarma Barua and Surajit Choudhury for the want of evidence.
The Assam Cabinet last week approved a committee, which will decide on the action to be taken over irregularities in the 2013 Combined Competitive Examination (CCE). This came after the Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission’s report this month cited anomalies in the exams, the results of which were declared in May 2015.
The commission was formed following Gauhati high court’s directions. The report is yet to be made public, but the commission’s findings are believed to detail irregularities in answer sheets of candidates declared successful allegedly in lieu of cash.
The report will be sent to a committee, which includes chief secretary Jishnu Barua. The committee will submit its report within two months.
The Cabinet also formed a separate commission of inquiry under a retired high court judge to probe alleged irregularities in CCE 2014.
The cash-for-job scam came to light in 2016 when candidates who cleared the 2013 CCE, including Assam Civil Service and Assam Police Service officers, were alleged to have indulged in irregular practices in cahoots with Rakesh Paul. As many as 60 serving officers from the CCE 2013 batch were arrested and 39 of them were terminated from service. Rakesh Paul, who was arrested in 2016, remains in prison while other accused are out on bail.
