Gauhati HC Convicts Rakesh Paul, 32 Others In APSC ADO Recruitment Scam
GUWAHATI: In a significant verdict, the Gauhati High Court on Monday convicted prime accused Rakesh Paul, the former chairman of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), along with 32 others, in connection with the infamous Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment scam.
The scam involved irregularities in the selection process for ADO positions advertised in 2013.
The ADO recruitment scam is believed to be part of the wider APSC cash-for-job scandal, in which candidates allegedly bribed officials for undeserved selection.
Rakesh Paul, who was a central figure in the overall scam, oversaw the ADO recruitment irregularities under his watch.
This massive scandal was initially exposed in 2015-16. The APSC scam involved serious allegations of candidates manipulating exams through bribery to obtain government jobs.
This ruling comes after years of investigation and legal proceedings. The high court found 33 individuals guilty while it acquitted 11 others in relation to this case.
The full details of the sentencing and the impact on the convicted individuals are awaited.
Meanwhile, in a startling development that unfolded earlier last year, the Guwahati Crime Branch's Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Sukanya Das, was apprehended in connection with the notorious Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scandal.
Reports indicate that this arrest brings the tally of implicated civil servants to four. The previously arrested officials include APS Sajahan Sarkar, APS Aoicharjya Jibon Baruah, and Assistant Employment Officer Rakesh Das.
Sukanya Das was reportedly summoned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police on December 1 but failed to appear on the stipulated date. The SIT, responsible for probing the APSC scam, was rigorously pursuing leads to unveil the extent of corruption within the Public Service Commission.
The gravity of the situation was underscored by the fact that the Assam Government had suspended a total of 21 civil servants in connection with the scandal.
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