14 officers arrested in Assam in cash for job scam

GUWAHATI: On the first anniversary of the demonetization, BJP led government in Assam on Tuesday launched biggest ever crackdown on corruption arresting as many as 14 Assam civil service (ACS), police and allied service officials.

These officers were picked up from different locations. Another 11 officers are likely to be picked up shortly.

Soon after coming to power in 2016 in Assam BJP government initiated probe in Assam Public service commission ( APSC).

Following allegations Chairman of APSC, Rakesh Kumar Paul and members of the Commission, including Samedur Rahman and Basanta Kumar Doley, and three other officials of the Commission who allegedly took money for selecting candidates were arrested.

Probing the APSC scam was one the election issue in Assam assembly polls and BJP had promised to probe the scam.

Assam Director General of police, Mukesh Sahay said police had recovered the fake answer scripts of some candidates. In June this year, police summoned 25 of the officers selected by the APSC for matching their handwriting with the fake answer scripts. The arrests were made after the forensic laboratory matched their handwriting with the fake answer scripts.

The list of accused includes sons and relatives of politicians, former congress minister.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal appreciated police action in cash for job scam.

Sonowal reiterated state government’s commitment of zero tolerance against corruption and asserted that the fight against this social evil will continue unabated.

“No accused in the scam could evade arrest by hiding and mentioned that no one would be spared. Sonowal further directed the police to speed up operation to nab all the accused officers.”

Chief Minister also expressed confidence that administration would be more transparent as a result of government’s steps against corruption and asserted that full authority has been given to police for carrying out operation against graft cases.

On another operation, anti-corruption sleuths arrested two other officers on corruption charges. On Tuesday Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell on Tuesday arrested Director of Directorate of Information & Public Relations (DIPR) Ranjit Gogoi in connection with multi crore advertisement scam.