Guwahati: Based on the report by the Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission regarding the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam, the government has directed the Director General of Police to initiate an investigation in fast-track mode.
The report by the commission has pointed out anomalies in the appointment of 37 gazetted officers who allegedly are accused in the APSC cash-for-job scam. As per reports, the police have already been asked to initiate the investigation against these 37 officers.
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Apart from this, the police have also been asked to reopen eight files related to the scam.
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The DGP has been directed by the government to start a “fast-track mode” investigation into these cases.
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The cases include the ones from Dibrugarh, CID, ACB, Dispur PS as well as the Bhangagarh PS.
Of them, the first case was registered in Dibrugarh in 2016.
Earlier in June, the Assam government drew flak for effecting time scale promotion for some junior grade APS officers, who were allegedly indulged in malpractices in the civil service examinations 2012 (CCE-2013) conducted by APSC.
The Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma commission, which probed the alleged anomalies in the CCE-2013, in its report stated to have accused some APS officers of including misconduct, who has now allegedly been promoted as APS senior grade II officers.
According to an Assam Home Department notification dated June 18, 2022, a total of 36 APS junior grade officers have been allowed a time scale of pay in APS senior grade II with effect from September 1, 2022.
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The Assam government’s decision to effect time-scale promotion for the “erring” APS officers who passed in 2013 triggered widespread reactions on social media.
Many social media users have raised questions as to why the Assam government has “awarded” the officers instead of taking action against them.
In May this year, the Assam government constituted a committee to decide on the action to be taken in connection with the inquiry report submitted by Justice (Retired) Biplab Kr Sarma relating to the conduct of civil service examinations-2012 (CCE-2013).
The Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma commission, which was formed following directions from Gauhati high court, submitted its report in April this year on the anomalies in CCE-2013.
Though the report is yet to be made public, the commission’s findings are stated to detail irregularities in answer sheets of many candidates who were declared successful, allegedly in lieu of cash.
The Assam government set up the five-member panel to examine the report of the inquiry commission regarding malpractices in the conduct of CCE-2013 by APSC.
The panel was asked to examine the inquiry commission report and suggest whether the entire results of the CCE-2013 be set aside and in case such a recommendation is made, whether the candidates would be entitled to notice and consequential hearings following the basic principles of natural justice.
The committee was asked to submit its report within two months.
The APSC cash-for-job scam came to light in 2016 when several successful candidates including Assam Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS) officers who appeared in CCE, 2013 were alleged to have indulged in misconduct allegedly in collusion with the then APSC chairman Rakesh Paul.
Following the revelations, police arrested 60 serving ACS & APS officers from the CCE, 2013 batch.