Ex-APSC Chairman Rakesh Paul owns 22 properties in Guwahati and Kolkata

Guwahati, May 1, 2019:

Sacked Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Paul has apparently bought twenty-two properties worth Rupees 100-150 crores in posh localities of Kolkata and Guwahati. The properties have allegedly been bought by Paul with the ill-gotten gains he got from APSC candidates.

The list of properties owned by Paul was submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI sources told the media that Paul himself owns 22 such properties, including residential flats and plots, which have been listed in the enquiry report submitted to the court on Monday.

After calculating his income and going through all the records, it has been found that the majority of the properties were bought after Paul became the chairman of the APSC.

The CBI has submitted the biggest ever list of properties, including benami properties, owned by Paul and his close relatives, which runs into Rs 100 crores.

These include several flats and plots owned by Paul in Guwahati and Kolkata, which had hitherto not come to the purview of the agencies probing the cash-for-job scam.

The annexure attached in the complete list submitted by the agency includes properties owned by Paul, his wife Sunanda Paul, his brother Rajib Paul and his brother-in-law among others.

It was alleged that Paul used to take around Rs 10-15 lakh for each job from more than 200-300 people and it is believed that at least 80% of them have got jobs and are now working in various departments of Assam.

The CBI will now seek permission from the Gauhati High Court to lodge an FIR against Paul to further investigate the matter.

Once the court accepts the petition to file an FIR, the CBI will question all the accused including Paul and his wife.

The matter is expected to be heard by the court within Monday.