Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The trial in the case related to a scam in the appointment of Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) was concluded in the Court of the Special Judge here on Monday, with the conviction of 32 accused. However, the quantum of the sentences was not declared today, and the sentencing is expected to take place shortly.
The judgement in the case saw 32 out of 44 accused individuals convicted. Among those found guilty are former APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and members Basanta Kumar Doley, and Samedur Rahman. Another member, Binata Rynjha, turned approver in the case. Of the 32 accused convicted today, 29 are candidates for the ADO recruitment scam.
Another 11 accused were acquitted by the special judge’s court, of which three were middlemen—Vikash Kumar Pincha, Kaushik Kalita, and Kunal Das; one APSC employee, Musharaf Hussain; and seven candidates—Boichitra Hakmaosa, Beauty Gogoi, Phiruj Moran, Sainjali Johori, Jyotibon Dutta, Dhritiranjan Roy, and Mousumi Saikia.
The APSC officials Rakesh Paul, Basanta Kumar Doley, and Samedur Rahman were convicted today under Sections 420 read with 120 (b), Sec 468 read with 120 (B), Sec 7 of PC Act r/w 120 B, and Sec 13 (2) of PC Act r/w Sec 120 (B) of IPC.
The 29 convicted candidates, selected by APSC and serving as ADOs, are Phanindra Saikia, Pranab Bharali, Jyotirekha Das, Kabin Kilingpi, Prity Das, Alok Kr Mali, Biswajit Doley, Keshabananda Bora, Barnali Medhi, Bipul Kr Deka, Sweety Bora hazarika, Satyanath Deka, Kamal Krishna Das, Rituraj Sonowal, Anjan Loying, Priyanka Bora, Rukheswar Timung, Sanghamitra Shyam, Bidyut Kr Das, Alpona Deuri, Jayanta Jit Das, Dipankar Barik, Roshan Rafi, Pranjal Barman, Shahil Aziz Hoque, Kalyan Sarma, Mafida Begum Saikia, Jayanta Chabukdhara, and Mrigen Haloi.
The trial against 43 accused, leaving aside Binata Rynjha, who turned approver, in the scam, has been going on in the court of the special judge after one of the candidates, Bedanta Bikash Das, filed an FIR in the Bhangagarh police station in 2017. The selection test for the post of ADOs was held in 2015, and the results were declared in 2016. A case (no. 159/17) was registered on the basis of the FIR filed by the candidate.
Notably, Bedanta Bikash Das, who had also appeared in the examination, lodged an FIR alleging that he was demanded a bribe of Rs 15 lakh for the post of ADO by then-APSC Chairman Rakesh Paul. Bedanta Bikash Das allegedly paid Rakesh Paul Rs. 50,000 in bribe money in order to be selected as ADO.
Around 1,075 optical-mark recognition (OMR) sheets of candidates who appeared in the examination to recruit ADOs were examined during the investigation, and it was found that the answer sheets of 27 candidates were altered and the marks enhanced.
The Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment scam is part of the larger APSC cash-for-job scandal, in which candidates allegedly bribed officials to secure government positions they were not qualified for. First exposed in 2015-16, the APSC scandal involved widespread allegations of candidates manipulating exams through bribery to obtain government jobs.
Also Read: Assam: Special Court Denies APSC Scam SIT Report, Demands Fresh Investigation (sentinelassam.com)
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