Gauhati HC to Assam govt: Reinstate 52 officials dismissed in APSC's cash for jobs scam

The Assam government has been directed by the Gauhati High Court to reinstate 52 out of 57 civil, police, and allied service officials from the 2013 and 2014 batches who were dismissed over their alleged involvement in the cash-for-jobs scam. The scam was linked to the Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).

A Division Bench, comprising Justice Kalyan Rai Surana and Justice Malashri Nandi, heard a batch of writ appeals and directed that the dismissed officials, who had completed the probation period, be reinstated within a period of 50 days.

The appellants had challenged the earlier judgement passed by a single judge upholding their dismissal from service.

The high court also allowed the state government to not assign them any duties for the next 30 days and to conduct any departmental inquiries if required.

The officers will also not be eligible for any salaries or dues during the period they remained dismissed.

The APSC’s cash-for-jobs scam came to light in 2016 and during investigations by the Assam police, 70 people, including its former chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 civil service officials, were arrested.