SIT grill 4 officers in Assam Public Service Commission recruitment scandal

In a continued effort to unravel the complexities of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) recruitment scandal, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Assam police intensified its inquiries by questioning four officers allegedly involved in the malpractice.

The officers under scrutiny are an Assam Police Service (APS) officer, Samarajyoti Bhuyan, two Excise Superintendents, Manavjyoti Das and Vedanta Bhushan Shaikia, and a Superintendent of Taxes, Ganpati Roy. Notably, Manavjyoti Das has a prior record, having been arrested on bribery charges.

The investigation, spearheaded by the SIT, has honed in on a suspected discrepancy between examination scores and final ranks, as indicated by an official statement.

Specifically, these officers are under investigation for purportedly securing undeservedly high ranks despite scoring low marks, adding another layer to the already convoluted APSC recruitment saga.

This recent development follows the interrogation of five APSC examiners and inspectors at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) office in April.

Further escalating the probe, the SIT has summoned an additional five examiners and inspectors linked to the 2013 APSC examination. A total of approximately 30 individuals involved in examination processes are expected to face questioning by the CID.

The genesis of the SIT's investigation traces back to September 30, 2023, when the Assam government, prompted by a directive from the Gauhati High Court, established the Special Investigation Team. This directive stemmed from the necessity to furnish a comprehensive report on the irregularities surrounding the 2013 and 2014 combined competitive examinations conducted by the APSC.

Led by Munna Prasad Gupta, ADGP of CID, Assam, the SIT commenced its inquiries by scrutinizing 25 officers suspected of securing APSC positions through illicit means. Despite the commission's findings implicating 34 officers, only six arrests were made, prompting inquiries into the rationale behind the non-questioning of other allegedly involved individuals.

The disparity between the commission's findings and subsequent government actions raises questions, particularly as the Assam government opted to suspend only 21 officers, including 11 APS officers, four civil service officers, and six allied service officers, in December 2023, despite the commission's explicit identification of 34 culpable individuals.

As the investigation unfolds, the intricate web of allegations, interrogations, and governmental responses continues to unravel, casting a shadow over the integrity of the APSC recruitment process and the accountability of those involved.