APSC scam: Rakesh Paul sentenced to 14 years, 29 ADOs to 4 years in prison

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Court of the Special Judge today pronounced the quantum of punishment to the perpetrators of the cash-for-job scam in recruitment of Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) through the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC). The main accused, former chairman Rakesh Paul, was handed the maximum sentence of 14 years of rigorous punishment (RI) with a fine of Rs 2 lakh. His co-conspirators and APSC members Basanta Kr. Doley and Samedur Rahman were sentenced to 10 years in prison (RI), along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh.

Moreover, the 29 Agriculture Development Officers (ADOs) who paid money to get themselves appointed were handed down equal sentences of 4 years in prison (RI) along with a fine of Rs 10,000 each. They manipulated the marks secured by them in the recruitment exam organized by APSC.

The day will go down in judicial history in the state for the maximum number of serving officers sentenced to jail on the same day. The special court had earlier convicted 29 ADOs in connection with the APSC recruitment scam, along with former APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul, members Basanta Kumar Doley, and Samedur Rahman.

The convicted APSC ex-chairman Rakesh Kr. Paul has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment (RI) for 7 years and to pay a fine of Rs. 50,000, in default RI for 2 (two) months, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (P.C.) Act, 1988, read with Section 120-B IPC. Paul was further sentenced to undergo RI for 10 years and also pay a fine of Rs. 50,000 (rupees fifty thousand), in default RI for 2 months under Section 13(2) of the P.C. Act, 1988, read with Section 120-B IPC. Rakesh Kr. Paul was further sentenced to undergo RI for 7 years and a fine of Rs. 50,000 in default RI for 2 months under Section 420 IPC read with Section 120-B IPC. Moreover, Paul was further sentenced to undergo RI for 7 years and also pay a fine of Rs. 50,000 for default RI for 2 months under Section 468 of the IPC, read with Section 120-B of the IPC. Paul will, however, spend 14 years in prison.

As per Section 31(2)(a) Cr. P. C., "in no case shall such a person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years." So, it makes clear that, though Rakesh Kr. Paul is awarded consecutive sentences, he will remain in jail for 14 years.

The court said, "...considering the immensity, seriousness, gravity, viciousness, the magnitude and length in time of the societal impact of the nature of the offences committed by Accused Rakesh Kumar Paul, the sentences imposed upon him ought to run consecutively, he having tainted a public institution such as the APSC deliberately leading the same astray despite being the General of the same and most of all having betrayed the faith and trust reposed in him by the Law, the Constitution, and above all the PEOPLE."

Basanta Kr. Doley and Samedur Rahman will both spend a total of 10 years in prison and also pay a fine of Rs. 2 lakh each. It is ordered that all the sentences run concurrently.

The 29 accused persons and convicted ADOs who paid bribe money to the APSC officials are: Mrigen Haloi, Phanindra Saikia, Pranab Bharali, Jyoti Rekha Das, Kabin Killingpi, Prity Das, Alok Kr. Mali, Biswajit Doley, Keshabananda Bora, Barnali Medhi, Bipul Kr. Deka, Sweety Bora Hazarika, Satya Nath Deka, Kamal Krishna Das, Rituraj Sonowal, Anjan Loying, Priyanka Bora, Rukheswar Timung, Sanghamitra Shyam, Bidyut Das, Alpona Deori, Jayanta Jit Das, Dipankar Barik, Roshan Rafi, Pranjal Barman, Shahil Aziz Haque, Kalyan Sarma, Mafida Begum Saikia, and Jayanta Chabukdhara. All 29 have been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 4 years and also pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 each; in default, rigorous imprisonment for 1 (one) month under Section 420 IPC, read with Section 120-B IPC.

They are further sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 4 years and also to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 each, or, in default, rigorous imprisonment for 1 (one) month, under Section 468 IPC read with Section 120-B IPC. It is ordered by the court that both sentences run concurrently.

The court held in the case of the tainted and unscrupulous Rakesh Kr Paul that, "being the Chairman of the Commission, it was his duty to create such an environment so that it becomes an ideal institution for job-aspirant youths of the state. But Rakesh Kr. Paul failed to fulfil the expectations of the common people. Under his leadership, undeserving candidates were selected for the posts of ADO, thereby depriving deserving meritorious candidates...if the recruitment of such officers is itself tainted at the very inception by means of extraneous considerations, monetary gratifications, and bypassing of merit; such officers cannot be expected to discharge their duties with honesty, integrity, dedication, and above all, transparency.."

Also Read: Assam: 32 accused individuals convicted in APSC scam in ADO recruitment (sentinelassam.com)

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