GUWAHATI: The quantum of punishment for 32 people, including former Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Paul, convicted in the cash-for-jobs case involving the appointment of agricultural development officers (ADO) in Assam was delivered today.
Rakesh Pal has been sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined Rs 2 lakh for his role in the scandal.
Two other key accused, Basanta Kumar Doley and Samedur Rahman, have been sentenced to 10 years in jail and a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
The remaining 29 candidates have been handed a 4-year jail term and fined Rs 10,000 each.
This verdict marks a significant step forward in Assam’s anti-corruption fight.
On July 22, the court 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.
Notably, there were 44 accused in the case, including four members and an employee of the commission, three middlemen, and 36 candidates.
The court of Special Judge Dipankar Thakuria had acquitted 11 other accused for lack of evidence, while APSC member Binita Rynjha turned approver.
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.
