Assam: Two ACS officers questioned for hours for involvement in APSC cash-for-job scam

Guwahati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam on Thursday questioned two senior ACS officers, Tridip Rai and Akashi Duarah, at the CID office in Guwahati.

The interrogation lasted for several hours, and the officers were released in the evening.

Additionally, APS officer ADCP Sukanya Das has been summoned to appear before the SIT on December 1.

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The SIT is currently investigating at least 28 officials, including two ACS officers, Dhrubajyoti Hatibaruah and Bikramaditya Bora, who were arrested earlier.

The remaining officials under investigation include Dhiraj Kumar Jain (ACS), Dipankar Dutta Lahkar (APS), Nabanita Sarma (APS), Kalyan Kumar Das (APS), Faruk Ahmed (APS), Kulpradip Bhattacharya (APS), Nilanjal Gogoi (APS), Nitumoni Das (APS), Pushkal Gogoi (APS), Rumi Timungpi (APS), Amitraj Choudhury (APS), Asima Kalita (APS), Hitesh Majumdar (APS), Saurab Kumar Bhattacharya (APS), Nandini Kakoti (APS), Nandita Hazarika (APS), Sauravpran Sarma (Exise Inspector), Barkiri Terong (Tax Inspector), Jayanta Doley (Tax Inspector), Priyanka Deka (Tax Inspector), Bikash Sarma (Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies), Chakradhar Deka (Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies), Rajesh Sarma (Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies), and Gitartha Baruah (Assistant Employment Officer).

The APSC cash-for-job scam came to light in 2016, and the Justice (retired) Biplab Sarma Inquiry Commission was formed to investigate the matter.

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The commission identified 34 officials involved in the scam, including the two ACS officers who were arrested earlier.

The SIT is continuing its investigation and is expected to make further arrests in the coming days.

A source said that these candidates or officials are accused of getting their jobs through fraudulent manners during the termed of the prime accused of the case, Rakesh Paul as the chairman of the APSC.

They had forged their answer scripts for the exams along with other proceedings by paying huge sums of money to the then APSC chairperson.