Assam: Trial in ADO recruitment scam to be concluded soon

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The trial in the case related to a scam in the appointment of Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) in the APSC is on the way of being concluded in the court of the special judge very soon. On Tuesday, another hearing was conducted in the case, and it is expected that the matter will be wrapped up sooner rather than later.

The trial against 43 accused named in the scam in the recruitment of ADOs by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), the selection for which was held in 2015 and the results declared in 2016, has been going on in the court of the special judge after one of the candidates filed an FIR in the Bhangagarh police station in 2017. A case (no. 159/17) was registered on the basis of the FIR filed by the candidate.

Notably, Bedanta Bikash Das, a candidate who had also appeared in the examination, lodged an FIR alleging that he was demanded a bribe amounting to Rs 15 lakh against a post of ADO. Das made the allegation against former APSC Chairman Rakesh Paul in the FIR.

It was also mentioned in the FIR that the advertisement for the ADO posts was published in 2013, and the screening test and viva voce were held in 2015. The result of the selection test was declared in 2016. 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 attendance list and marksheets were also sent for forensic examination.

It should be mentioned that Bedanta Bikash Das allegedly paid Rakesh Paul, the then-APSC Chairman, Rs. 50,000 in bribes in order to be selected as ADO.

Also Read: APSC cash-for-job scam: SIT gets new investigation officer (sentinelassam.com)

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