APSC cash for job scam: 4 ACS officers suspended

As many as four Assam Civil Service (ACS) officers have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-jobs scam, that took place in 2013 and 2014.

The suspended officers are–Akashi Duarah, ACS, Addl. District Commissioner, Jorhat; Hitesh Majumdar, ACS, Additional District Commissioner South Salmara, Mankachar; Dhubajyoti Hatibarua, Deputy Secretary to Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture, Government of Assam, and Dhiraj Kumar Jain, ACS, Deputy Secretary to the Election Department and Joint CEO, Government of Assam.

All four are accused of passing the APSC exam by cheating.

The ongoing investigation into criminal offenses related to the APSC cash for job scam has revealed that these officers benefited from irregularities by illegally increasing their marks, which allowed them to be recommended for appointment.

Based on the report of former Justice Biplab Kumar Sharma, all four have been suspended from their jobs.

The suspended officers are now being interrogated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Assam Police investigating the matter.

Meanwhile the SIT has summoned Dibrugarh Election Officer Dhiraj Kumar Jain and APS officer ADCP Sukanya Das for questioning today.

Both the officers have been asked to appear at the CID office today.

Earlier, the SIT team probing the cash-for-job scam had arrested Udalguri’s Additional Superintendent of Police Aishwarya Jeevan Barua and Jorhat’s Additional Superintendent of Police Shahjahan Sarkar.

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