Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) fiasco: Five officials suspended

CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The State government on Saturday put five officials of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) under suspension with immediate effect and ordered appropriate disciplinary proceedings against them.

The suspension orders issued separately by APPSC Secretary D Verma directed the officials not to leave Itanagar, the headquarters, till the order is in force.

The officials were suspended for their alleged involvement in the infamous question paper leak case in the assistant engineer (Civil) examination, conducted by the Commission on August 26 and 27 this year.

The suspension orders were issued on the direction of state Governor Brig (Retd) Dr B D Mishra under the provisions of Article 371H of the Constitution, official sources informed.

The suspended officials include Joint Secretary (Establishment) Nima Tondrang, Under Secretary (Establishment) Joram Nagu, Deputy Secretary (Establishment) Bate Koyu, Personal Assistant Swaroop Bhattacharjee and private secretary Debashis Dey.

The state cabinet on Thursday recommended the governor remove all four members of the Commission to enable a free and fair investigation into the paper leak case.

Sources in the state police department informed that a CBI team headed by a joint director-level ranked officer arrived here on Tuesday last to oversee the scam.

The paper leakage came to light on August 29 this year after written information was received by the police from one Gyamar Padang, a candidate of the APPSC AE examination, claiming that he suspected that the question paper had been leaked.

Earlier, the police had arrested APPSC deputy secretary-cum-deputy controller of examination Taket Jerang along with other nine, involved in the case.

Jerang, who allegedly leaked the paper, has been sent on retirement by the Commission.

APPSC Chairman Nipo Nabam on October 14 last had resigned from his post, owning moral responsibility for the omissions and commissions of the officer of the commission, who was responsible for ensuring secrecy and prevention of leakage of question papers.

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