Guwahati, Jul 24: The Court of Special Judge, Assam, will pronounce the sentence for convicts in the APSC cash-for-job scam on July 29.
Thirty-two people, including the Assam Public Service Commission's former chairman, Rakesh Paul, two of its members, and 29 candidates who paid lakhs of rupees to get agriculture development officer jobs in 2014, were convicted by the court on Monday. The hearing on the sentence concluded on Tuesday.
The public prosecutors prayed for maximum sentences for the tainted former APSC chairman and its members.
"Considering the past conduct, interest of society, nature of the offence committed, etc.," the prosecution prayed to award the maximum sentence to the accused. Citing various judgements of the Supreme Court, special public prosecutor Pallab Kataki prayed for imposing a consecutive sentence.
Besides Paul, former APSC members Basanta Kumar Doley and Samedur Rahman have been convicted under Sections 420 read with 120 (b) of IPC, 468, Section 7 of, and Section 13 (2) of the PC Act, 1988. The sections entail a sentence of seven to ten years of imprisonment.
The convicted candidates face charges under IPC 420, read with 120 (b) and Section 468 (forgery), which can invite a sentence of up to seven years in jail. The accused are also represented by their respective counsels, and they prayed to deal with the accused persons leniently. After hearing, the court fixed the matter for the pronouncement of sentence on July 29.
