APSC scam
Agriculture development officers involved in APSC scam.

Police on Thursday arrested an Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) in connection with a case in the cash-for-job scam in APSC registered with Bhangagarh police station here.

ADO Mrigen Haloi was arrested by city police in connection with the case (No-159/2017) here after he was grilled for about three hours.

Police earlier quizzed  seven other officials–Kalyan Sharma, Jayanta Chabukdhora, Sanghamitra Shyam, Mofida Begum Saikia, Priyanka Bora, Sahidul Azij Haque and Deepankar Barique besides Haloi in connection with the case.

Bedanta Bikash Das, an APSC job aspirant had lodged a complaint against then APSC chairman Rakesh Paul and APSC employee Sayed Musharraf Hussain at Bhangagarh police station on August 16 and a case (number 159/2017) had been registered.

In an RTI reply to Das, the APSC said one candidate selected in the reserved category, Mrigen Haloi, got 78 marks in viva voce but in the RTI reply furnished to Deka, the APSC said Haloi got 80 marks in viva voce.

Das asked how the same candidate could get two different marks in viva voce. He added that he had heard that some of the selected candidates paid between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh to Paul.

Police in May last year police arrested suspended APSC member Basanta Doley in connection with the case. Doley, a prime accused in the scam, was first arrested by Dibrugarh Police. He was later granted bail in August last year.