Assam APSC cash-for-job scam investigation hits roadblock as hearing postponed

Guwahati: A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the investigation into the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam after the Gauhati High Court deferred the next hearing date indefinitely.

Social activists Pritom Hazarika and Jon Jyoti Sarmah on behalf of Fight Against Injustice in APSC filed a PIL through their counsel MK Choudhury seeking direction from the Gauhati High Court to act upon the Inquiry Report submitted on April 2, 2022, by Justice B.K. Sharma Commission of Inquiry in respect of malpractices in CCE 2013.

The petitioners further made a plea before High Court to direct the Assam government to make the report of the Judicial Inquiry Commission public.

Hearing Delay Raises Concerns

The Gauhati High Court bench, comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam, heard the case on April 22, 2024, but instead of setting a specific date for the next hearing, listed it for "due course of time." Legal experts interpret this as a sign that the case is not considered urgent and will be addressed without priority.

A senior advocate at the Gauhati High Court expressed concern about the delay. "The APSC scam is a sensitive and crucial matter. Regular hearings would have ensured momentum in the investigation," the advocate told Northeast Now requesting anonymity.

Investigation Pace Questioned

Sources allege that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the scam slowed down the probe after the court's postponement order. The SIT, formed in September 2023 on the Gauhati High Court's directive, was tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within six months.

While the SIT, led by ADGP Munna Prasad Gupta, has questioned 25 officers suspected of securing APSC jobs unfairly, only five have been arrested. This disparity raises questions about the investigation's thoroughness and potential for political influence.

Discrepancies in Action Taken

The Justice Sharma Commission report named 34 officers for wrongdoing. However, the Assam government only suspended 21 in December 2023, leaving at least 13 others untouched. These officers include APS officers Nabanita Sarma, Amit Raj Chodhury, Asheema Kalita, and Rituraj Doley, along with ACS officers Tridib Roy, Bikramdity Bora, Nandita Hazarika, and Jagadish Brahma.

The SIT, on the other hand, recently filed a charge sheet against four officers: former Principal Controller of Examination Nanda Babu Singh, APS officer Sukanya Das, suspended officials Wahida Begum and Rakesh Das. Notably, the ten un-suspended officers haven't even been questioned by the SIT.

This selective approach reinforces suspicions of potential bias and raises questions about why only a fraction of the implicated officers are facing consequences.

Candidates Awaits Release of Judicial Commission Report

The Justice (retired) Biplab Kumar Sharma Commission, which was formed following directions from Gauhati high court, submitted its report in April 2022 on the anomalies in CCE-2013.

The Gauhati High Court ordered a Judicial Commission to investigate the APSC after serious allegations and widespread concerns about corruption and irregularities in the CCE-2013.

Attempts to challenge the commission's formation in the Supreme Court were dismissed, upholding its authority to investigate and expose corrupt practices within the APSC.

The Commission in its report accused 34 selected candidates of indulging in misconduct in 2013 exams.

Over 45,000 candidates who took the 2013 CCE and believe they were victims of fraud by then APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and others, remain disheartened by the delay in releasing the Judicial Commission's report, despite it being submitted over two years ago. "We feel cheated," some affected candidates told Northeast Now.

Background and Next Steps

The SIT's formation came after the one-man inquiry commission led by Justice Sharma exposed irregularities in the 2013 and 2014 APSC Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE). The public awaits the court's next move and hopes for a swift and fair resolution to this critical case.