Arunachal: CBI Uncovers APPSC Exam Scam; Final Chargesheet Filed in Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR: In a major development, the Central Bureau of Investigation, on Friday, filed its third supplementary charge-sheet before the Court of Special Judge, CBI Cases, Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, which marked the conclusion of the investigations into alleged question paper leak scandal that rocked the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission. Conclusion of exhaustive inquiry into malpractice in the recruitment of Assistant Engineers (Civil) in 2022.

The investigation into this scam had unearthed an entire network of corruption right from the then Deputy Secretary-cum-Deputy Controller of Examinations at APPSC, a teacher from a private coaching institute, to multiple candidates. This case originated in September 2022 on a complaint lodged at the Itanagar Police Station as Case No. 0229 on the allegation of leakage of question papers of the Assistant Engineer (Civil) examination conducted by APPSC in lieu of bribes.

Matters suddenly took a drastic turn in the scandal when it came to light that a candidate's parent issued a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to a middleman for the leaked questions. This middleman, along with the candidate, had already been charge-sheeted on December 8, 2022. Six others, including the aforementioned teacher and the APPSC official, too, were named in the initial chargesheet.

Further investigation by the CBI, which took over the case from State Investigation Cell (Vigilance) on October 26, 2022, resulted in the filing of the first and second supplementary chargesheets on January 31, 2023, and March 30, 2023, respectively. These further unraveled an intricate network of persons involved in the scam, all of whom had conspired to rig the recruitment process for their illicit gains.

This fraud was perpetrated by the then Deputy Controller of Examinations in collaboration with the middleman, who distributed the leaked questions among selected candidates for huge money. Such malpractices eroded the credibility of the recruitment process and exposed the urgent need to put in place stricter oversight mechanisms in public examinations.

With the final supplementary chargesheet getting filed, the focus now shifts to the consequent judicial procedures. Since then, the revelations have led to widespread outrage, with calls for an introduction of stricter regulations and more transparent processes in government recruitment exams.

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