Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Assam Public Services Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam is now picking up the pace, with summonses issued to 30 invigilators in the Combined Competitive Exams (CCE) 2013-14.
On receipt of the summonses, seven of the 30 invigilators summoned to appear before the SIT at the CID office in Guwahati, presented themselves today.
The seven were quizzed on matters related to the insertion of fake answer sheets, fudging of marks, and other misdeeds committed during the CCE 2013–14. Their statements were recorded by the SIT in a bid to resolve the matter that has been pending for a long time.
The SIT was formed by the state government in 2023 to probe irregularities in appointments by the APSC in CCE 13–14. The SIT conducted a fresh inquiry into the scam, which rocked the state. Subsequently, the SIT arrested five ACS, APS, and allied services officers who obtained their jobs by using unfair means in the 2013 Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) conducted by the APSC.
Moreover, in January, the Government of Assam took decisive action, submitting a detailed affidavit to the Gauhati High Court. The affidavit outlined the steps taken to address the irregularities in the recruitment process, with a particular focus on the CCE 2013–14 batch.
According to the submitted affidavit, a total of five officials who had secured their positions through unfair means have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation.
In December last year, another significant development in the cash-for-job scam took place when 23 ACS, APS, and allied service officers were suspended by the Assam government. All 23 suspensions were ordered by the state government on the basis of the report of the one-man inquiry commission of Justice (Retd.) Biplab Kumar Sharma.
It should be mentioned here that 37 ACS and allied services officers were indicted in the report by the Justice (retd.) Biplab Sharma Judicial Inquiry Commission. The officers are featured in a list connected to irregularities in appointments through the CCE (Combined Competitive Examinations) 2013 and 2014 conducted by the APSC.
The SIT is bringing many more officers into the ambit of the investigation, sources revealed. The team is confident that many more will fall into its net soon, even as efforts were taken to intensify the operation into the cash-for-job scam, an investigation into which has resulted in new facts emerging recently, sources added.
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