APSC CCE-2013 and CCE-2014: Special investigation team for cash for job scam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government has formed an SIT (Special Investigation Team) of the Assam Police in connection with the cash-for-job scam in the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE)-2013 and 2014 conducted by the APSC (Assam Public Service Commission). Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed the DGP to this effect yesterday, and the DGP formed it in no time.

The development came to light on Friday when senior Additional Advocate General of Assam N Kohli informed the division bench of the Gauhati High Court, comprising Chief Justice Sandeep Metha and Justice Susmita Phukan Khaund, that the State Government had formed an SIT yesterday.

The Dibrugarh Police investigated the CCE-2013 and CCE-2014, leading to the arrest of more than 40 ACS and allied service officers who ended up being dismissed from their jobs.

Some of the officers challenged their dismissal in court. However, the State Government won the case. The dismissed candidates moved the court again, challenging the verdict that had gone against them. The Gauhati High Court has been hearing the appeals from the dismissed officers.

After the hearing today, the court said, “As a totally new development, Mr. N. Kohli, learned Senior Additional Advocate General, has placed on record a copy of the order dated September 28, 2023, issued by the Director General of Police, Assam, as per which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted with reference to the letter of Hon’ble the Chief Minister of Assam dated September 28, 2023, to investigate the Dibrugarh P.S. Case No.936/2016. As per the oral instructions received by Mr. N. Kohli, the SIT is proposing to conclude its proceedings and investigation within six months. We may note that during the course of submissions, it was the emphatic contention of the learned senior counsel representing the appellants that the investigating officer and the state officials, while undertaking the so-called exercise of separating the grain from the chaff, have acted arbitrarily and with discrimination. While the appellants herein were singled out for punishment of discharge without any opportunity to show cause, other similarly situated candidates, against whom the Investigating Officer was possessed of significant evidence, were left out. It was also contended that two government employees, namely, Sri Nabakanta Patir and Syed Mosraff Hussain, who were apprehended red-handed while accepting bribes so as to influence the selection process in question, have not been proceeded with, whereas the appellants herein, who were young, freshly selected officers in the 2013 APSC batch, have been discharged from service without following the principles of natural justice. These submissions of the learned senior counsel representing the appellants were emphatically controverted by Mr. N. Kohli, representing the State of Assam.”

The court further said, “We feel that in order to reach an appropriate conclusion in the matter, it would be apposite to direct the SIT constituted vide order dated September 28, 2023, to give a pertinent interim report in a sealed cover on the following points, for the perusal of this Court: 1) Is the decision of the investigating officer to separate the cases of the appellants herein and those candidates whose names are incorporated in the nine-page tabulation sheets based on any logic or rational? 2) What was the reason for the Investigating Officer not forwarding the documents and answer sheets of those left-out candidates, whose names are reflected in the nine-page tabulation sheets, to the FSL until 2019? 3) Whether the state government has proposed to take any disciplinary action against the left-out officers whose names are reflected in the 9-page tabulation sheets? 4) Whether, from the evidence collected so far, any other cases of securing selection by fraud have come to light? The aforesaid observations shall not be considered adverse comments on the veracity of the earlier investigation report on the basis that the discharge orders were issued as the appeals are yet to be finally decided.”

The Court listed the case for further hearing on November 22, 2023.

According to sources, ADGP Munna Prasad Gupta will head the SIT.

The cash-for-job scam in the APSC came to light after the BJP came at the helm of affairs in the state in 2016 under the leadership of Sarbananda Sonowal.

Also Read:   APSC cash-for-job-scam: Reports of Justice BK Sharma on CCE, 2013 & 2014 to be clubbed

Also Watch: