Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified on Friday that the Gauhati High Court’s recent ruling on the APSC cash-for-jobs scam does not require the reinstatement of the dismissed officers.
Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma explained that the court only instructed the government to issue “non-stigmatic” discharge letters. These revised letters aim to help the former officers apply for other jobs without being marked by the scandal.
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“We reviewed the High Court’s decision yesterday,” Sarma said. “It does not ask us to reinstate the officers. The only instruction is to modify the discharge letters so they don’t specifically mention the APSC scam.”
According to Sarma, the state will now reissue the discharge letters citing “unsatisfactory performance” instead of referring to the corruption scandal. This change could make it easier for the affected individuals to seek alternative employment.
In the case of Assam Police Service (APS) officers who were on probation at the time of their dismissal, the Chief Minister said the High Court directed the government to reinstate them temporarily.
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“For those officers, the court has asked us to complete departmental proceedings within three months,” he said. “Once that process concludes, the government will decide whether to retain or dismiss them permanently.”
The state government is considering a move to the Supreme Court to challenge the portion of the order concerning APS officers. “We are currently evaluating whether we should approach the apex court on that matter,” Sarma added.
He also emphasized that the High Court’s ruling effectively rules out reinstatement for most of the dismissed officers. “This verdict shuts the door on their return,” he noted, adding that some of those affected may still attempt to take their case to the Supreme Court.
The APSC cash-for-jobs scam, which came to light in 2016, exposed widespread corruption in the recruitment of civil servants. Investigators arrested over 70 individuals, including then-APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 civil servants, for their alleged involvement in the scandal.