Police grill eight agriculture officers

APSC SCAM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, July 14: A new chapter has opened with respect to the scam-tainted Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) even as the investigating agencies have now started grilling those Agricultural Development Officers (ADOs) who got recruited allegedly by paying cash. Already, the scanner is on 27 ADOs.

Police on Saturday carried out almost a five-hour-long questioning of eight ADOs at Dispur Police Station.

Those quizzed by the police today were Mrigen Haloi, Kalyan Sarma, Jayanta Sabukdhora, Sanghamitra Shyam, Mafida Begum Saikia, Priyanka Bora, Sahidul Aziz Haque, and Dipankar Barik. Summonses, however, were served to 10 ADOs.

On Friday, Bhangagarh police had submitted supplementary chargesheet at the Court of Special Judge against former APSC member Basanta Doley. It may be mentioned that besides Doley, former APSC chairman Rakesh Paul, and former APSC employee Musharraf Hussain have already been arrested in this case and are presently in judicial custody.

The answer sheets of those officers were collected by police following a complaint filed at the Bhangagarh Police Station. Meanwhile, investigating agencies have already found evidence of marks being enhanced with respect to some of the candidates. An ADO aspirant, Bedanta Bikash Das had filed a case alleging that Rs 15 lakh was demanded from him for the job.

The advertisement for the ADO posts had been published on April 4, 2013, and the screening test and the viva voce held in August 2015. The result of the selection test was declared on February 4, 2016.