Rakesh Paul's irregularities backed by top officials: Biplab Sharma report on APSC corruption

Guwahati, Feb 18: Two reports of the Justice (retd) BK Sharma Commission into the irregularities in the Assam Public Service Commission's (APSC) Combined Competitive Examinations (CCE) for 2013 and 2014 were tabled in the Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the first day of the Budget session held in Kokrajhar on Monday.

Noting that during his incumbency as APSC chairman from 2008 till his arrest in 2016, Rakesh Paul was associated with more than 200 selections including CCEs, Justice (retd) BK Sharma concluded in his inquiry report that "the kind of conduct on his part in conducting the CCE 2013 and CCE 2014 leaves no manner of doubt that he (Paul) was associated with the illegalities not only in respect of the said two examinations, but also in other examinations."

The reports revealed gross anomalies like enhancement of marks of some candidates and use of fake answer scripts in the CCE 2013 and 2014.

Nearly 70 people, including then chairman Rakesh Paul and over 50 civil and police officials, have been arrested in the 'cash-for-job' scam, which was uncovered in 2016.

"With that kind of situation, what was in store both for APSC selection and the deserving candidates could well be imagined... The all-round illegality perpetuated in conducting CCE 2013 and 2014 with wholesome compromise of the basic tenets of selection on merit reducing the APSC to a private guild and an entity of job for extraneous consideration, be it monetary or others," Justice Sharma said in the report, which was made public after being tabled in the Assembly.

Concluding that Paul could not have made the illegal selections possible unless there were extending and supporting hands for him, the one-man inquiry commission pointed out that call details of Paul and the other accused members of the commission revealed that "high dignitaries" including police personnel were in touch with them.

"While it is true that merely on the basis of such calls, nothing can be attributed negatively and that by itself may not establish any link with the illegal selections, but the timing of such calls including the fact that in the normal circumstances, such calls are not expected of to and from the key personnel of APSC, gives rise to suspicion making it a matter to ponder about," the commission felt.

Justice Sharma said that while services of some illegal appointees have been dispensed with, many more are still in the administration occupying high and key positions.

"As to what could be the state of affairs with such illegal appointees can well be imagined. With their illegal presence in service, not only the administration and for that matter, the public will suffer, but it will carry a very wrong message towards compromising merit and performance of deserving candidates," he stated in the report.

Justice Sharma also felt that the illegally selected candidates could not have indulged in the malpractices towards securing jobs unless there were supporting hands over their heads, be it their guardians, so called well-wishers and the "members of the powers that be".

He called for "drastic measures" to build public confidence on the APSC.

The commission had concluded the inquiry into the CCE 2013 in March 2022 and CCE 2014 in October 2023.

But as the report was not tabled in the Assembly and not made available to the accused, some candidates challenged the departmental action against them citing "procedural lapses". The departmental action against 17 accused officers was stayed by the high court on February 7, 2025.

- By Rituraj Borthakur