Guwahati, July 22: The Gauhati High Court on Monday convicted former Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Paul and 33 others in the APSC Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) recruitment scam.
The scam, which involved irregularities in the selection process for ADO positions advertised in 2013, is part of the wider APSC cash-for-job scandal. Paul, who was a central figure in the scam, was found guilty of his involvement in the irregularities that occurred under his watch.
The APSC scam, exposed in 2015-16, involved allegations of candidates bribing officials to secure government positions through manipulated exams. After years of investigation and legal proceedings, the court delivered its verdict, finding 34 individuals guilty. However, 10 others were acquitted, including Musharaf Hussian, Beauty Gogoi, Vikas Pincha, Kunal Das, Kaushik Kalita, Seiz Ali Zohri, Dritiman Roy, Feroz Maran, Mausomi Saikia and Jyotiban Dutta.
The details of the sentencing and the impact on the convicted individuals are awaited. The verdict is seen as a significant step towards bringing those involved in the scam to justice and ensuring accountability in the state’s recruitment processes.
