President’s sanction for prosecution yet to come

APSC CASH-FOR-JOBS SCAM

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Feb 15: Despite seeking prosecution sanction against three accused –Rakesh Paul, Samedur Rahman and Basanta Doley – from the President of India by State Governor Banwarilal Purohit in the cash-for-jobs scam in Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), no approval has so far come from Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Sources said proceedings against the three accused APSC members cannot be advanced in court without the approval of prosecution sanction. But if the approval of the President doesn’t come within three months from the day the Governor sought the same, the court here, as per the Supreme Court’s guidelines, will treat it as sanctioned and start its proceedings against the trio.

The charge-sheet against the 10 accused in the cash-for-jobs scam was filed in court by the police on January 10. The 10 charge-sheeted persons are Rakesh Paul, Basanta Doley, bakanta Patir, Samedur Rahman, Pabitra Kaibartya, Mamud Ali Chowdhury, Abbas Ali, Sayed Musharraf, Rajeev Paul and Sudip Das.   

Of the 10 accused in the scam, eight have already been arrested and two – Paul’s brother Rajeev whose press was allegedly used to print APSC ‘master’ copies of answer scripts and Sudip Das who allegedly collected money from candidates on Paul’s behalf – have been declared absconding.

The bail petition of Paul was rejected several times by the court. As per rule, any accused, after 90 days of arrest, can get bail. But if the police files charge-sheet against that particular accused within 90 days, the person’s bail plea gets rejected.

On the other hand, sources said Paul’s wife wrote a petition to the President of India on Paul’s bail and other issues, and the President has sought clarification from the State government on the same.

Sources further stated that there are possibilities of involvement of some political big shots in the cash-for-jobs scam in the APSC, but no such political figures have been interrogated by the investigating agency till date.