Assam: Quantum of punishment in APSC cash-for-jobs case to be pronounced on August 29

The quantum of punishment for the 32 people convicted in the cash-for-jobs case related to the appointment of agricultural development officers (ADO) in Assam will be delivered on August 29.

The court of Special Judge Dipankar Thakuria heard those convicted in the case but reserved pronouncing the quantum of punishment.

It had on July 22 convicted 32 people, including former Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Paul, in connection with the case filed at the Bhangagarh police station in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The court had observed that the quantum of punishment would be pronounced after hearing all the convicts.

Judge Thakuria had acquitted 11 other accused for lack of evidence, while APSC member Binita Rynjha turned approver.

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There were 44 accused in the case, including four members and an employee of the commission, three middlemen and 36 candidates.

A candidate, who had failed to qualify for the job, had registered a complaint, alleging that the marks of another candidate had been increased in lieu of financial transactions. Based on this complaint, a case was filed and an investigation started.

He had filed an RTI application for information related to changes in the tabulation of marks and claimed that he registered the complaint on the basis of its report.

Paul, along with the other members and officials of the APSC, were arrested in connection with another cash-for-jobs case related to the Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) for the recruitment of civil and police officials.

The Assam Police has arrested nearly 70 people, including Paul and 57 civil service officials since 2016 in connection with such irregularities.

The case related to the CCE is at present being probed by a Special Investigative Team (SIT) at the direction of the Gauhati High Court.