STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The inquiry into the cash-for-jobs scam of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) in the 2014 Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) has gained momentum as the one-man judicial inquiry commission of Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sarma will now seek depositions from 21 successful ACS and allied services candidates who were subsequently dismissed from service after criminal cases were filed against them by the Dibrugarh police. The commission has further appealed to persons having knowledge regarding anomalies in the CCE 2014 to provide the relevant information to the inquiry commission in writing on or before June 18 next.
The results of the CCE, 2014 were declared in June 2016 and a total of 180 candidates were selected for recruitment in the Assam Civil Service (ACS) and allied services based on their performance in the examination. These included 90 ACS officers (junior grade), 47 APS officers (junior grade), three Labour Officers, seven Superintendents of Taxes, three Superintendents of Excise, seven District Transport Officers (DTOs), one Inspector of Labour, one Inspector of Excise and 21 Inspectors of Taxes. Subsequently, the Dibrugarh police found evidence of culpability against 21 successful candidates and arrested them, which paved the way for their dismissal from service.
According to sources, the inquiry commission will now also seek detailed records of the criminal cases filed in this regard by the Dibrugarh police and examine them in-depth. The sources further said that inquiry commission will further seek some information from the APSC regarding conducting of CCE 2014.
It may be mentioned that Justice Sharma had also headed the commission which was constituted to inquire into the alleged anomalies in the CCE 2013. The commission had found evidence of many irregularities in conducting of CCE 2013. Evidence was found that even the key of strong room where the answer scripts were kept had been illegally kept in the possession of a person other than the authorized custodian.
The Biplab Kumar Sarma Commission recently submitted its report to the State Government regarding the CCE 2013. The report revealed that the inquiry found an additional 34 candidates had been selected anomalously in the examination. Significantly, these 34 candidates had not come under the radar of the police during the earlier investigation in the cash-for-job scam.
It may be recalled that following a recent Cabinet decision, the Assam Government had constituted the Justice Sharma Commission to inquire into the allegations of anomalies and malpractices in the conduct of CCE, 2014 as well and fix the responsibility/fault/malpractice, if any.
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