[Bengia Ajum]
ITANAGAR, 21 Jan: The education department on Tuesday suspended block education officers (BEO) Iken Bagra and Posi Gamlin, posted in West Siang district, whose reinstatement in service on the direction of the high court had caused an uproar in the state.
The duo, along with two other officials – Tanyang Gaduk and Radek Romin – had been reinstated in service. They had all earlier been arrested and suspended for their alleged involvement in the APPSC paper leak scam. The decision to reinstate them had deeply angered the people of the state.
In its order, the education department said that the duo is being placed on suspension to ensure a fair and impartial inquiry and to prevent any potential interference with the ongoing disciplinary proceedings. Even though Gaduk and Romin have retired, the department is planning to take action against them.
Another official of the education department, Joi Sora, who was also suspended for his alleged involvement in the paper leak scam, has approached the high court and therefore his matter is reported to be sub judice.
Further, the education department has also initiated steps to suspend those officials of secondary education who were also reinstated. These officials too were earlier arrested and suspended for their alleged involvement in the APPSC paper leak fiasco. “Right from the education minister to the commissioner, everyone is worried about this lapse and is making every effort to ensure that those people involved in the paper leak scam are punished,” said an official of the department.
Earlier, the AAPSU had served a week’s ultimatum to the state government, seeking “re-suspension” of all the alleged accused involved in the paper leak scam who had been reinstated in the service based on the court order. Arunachal Frontier Tribal Front chief Tadak Nalo had also strongly criticised the education department’s move to reinstate the suspended officials and had said that the youths of the state are feeling betrayed by this development.
