Arunachal paper leak scam: APPSC top brass suspended, case handed over to CBI

Digging the grave into the infamous Arunachal APPSC AE (Civil) Examination 2022 paper leak case, the state government has now placed APPSC Secretary Jayanta Kumar Ray and its Joint Secretary cum Controller of Examination Suraj Gurung under suspension.

Meanwhile, as disciplinary proceedings are contemplated against Jayanta Kumar Ray, IAS (AGMUT 2011) and Suraj Gurung, APCS (Selection Grade) in the matter of paper leakage case, the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, in the exercise of powers conferred by relevant Rules, placed both the officers under suspension with immediate effect, Chief Secretary Dharmendra said.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the APPSC-conducted AE (Civil) recruitment exam paper leak case, Chief Minister Pema Khandu ‘assured’ the apex students’ bodies All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) and All Nyishi Students Union (ANSU) “to cleanse the system so that (peoples) trust in APPSC is restored”.

In a meeting with the student bodies, CM Khandu meet with the delegation of AAPSU and ANSU over the paper leak scam and assured both the unions that the state government will cleanse the system so that trust in APPSC is restored. 

The meeting came in the wake of mounting demands from the students’ organizations and others for suspension of the APPSC Chairman, Secretary and Members until the investigation concludes.

The paper leak case is currently being investigated by the SIC (Vigilance). So far, 10 persons including the APPSC Deputy Secretary cum Deputy Controller of Examinations have been arrested in the Assistant Engineer (Civil) exam question paper leak fiasco. 

The probe began after an aggrieved candidate filed a police complaint on August 29, alleging that the AE (Civil) exam paper had been leaked.

Talking to reporters soon after the meeting, ANSU president Nabam Dodum informed that the CM accepted the demand for immediate suspension of the Chairman, Secretary, Members and all the staff of the State Public Service Commission. “However, as there are certain procedures for such things there will be a Cabinet meeting regarding this after which they will write to the Governor for approval,” he said.

Calling the entire APPSC cash-for-job fiasco ‘a nexus’, Dodum said that they have sought a comprehensive investigation taking into account the similar incidents that happened in 2014 and 2017 in the APPSC recruitment examinations.

The student leader also said that though the state government has decided to hand over the case to the CBI, such things often take time to actually happen and appealed to everyone to wait for it patiently for some time.

It may be mentioned that days after the state government recommended a CBI investigation into the paper leak case, State Vigilance Commissioner Kaling Tayeng has on Oct 10 written to the Department of Personnel and Training, GOI, seeking necessary action for the transfer of the case to the premier probe agency for further investigation.

“The case is serious in nature and investigation by local police reveals involvement of State government officials as well as possibility of inter-state ramifications. Therefore, you are requested to initiate necessary action for transfer of the instant case to CBI for further investigation by them,” his letter read.

All relevant records of the probe carried out by the Special Investigation Cell were attached to the request letter. This cell of the State police had taken over the case from the Itanagar police station on September 27.