Assam to move SC over Gauhati HC order reinstating ‘scam-tainted’ APSC officers: Himanta Biswa Sarma

The Assam government will move the Supreme Court against a Gauhati High Court order, directing it to reinstate 52 officials dismissed in the cash-for-job scam in the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) conducted by APSC, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday.

He also termed the high court order "painful" at a time when the state government was ensuring only merit-based recruitments.

The Gauhati High Court had on Friday asked the state government to reinstate 52 of the 57 dismissed civil, police and allied service officials of 2013 and 2014 batch, who were involved in the cash-for-job scam in the Combined Competitive Examination conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission.

The court directed that the dismissed officials, who had completed the probation period, be reinstated within a period of 50 days while allowing the state government to not assign them any duties for the next 30 days and conduct any departmental inquiries if required.

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

Talking to reporters at Baksa on the sidelines of an International Day of Yoga event, Sarma said, "The judgement by the division bench on the SC matter is painful and has led to disappointment for us."

He maintained that the order has come at a time when only merit-based recruitments are being done in the state.

"I haven't seen the judgment but from what I have read in newspapers, if it is correct, it is unfortunate," Sarma added.

"We will definitely appeal before the Supreme Court and will try the last moment to ensure that no one who had got their job through the wrong way are reinstated," the chief minister added.

The SC's cash-for-jobs scam came to light in 2016 and over 70 persons, including its former chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 civil service officials, were arrested during the course of investigation by the police.