Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 27 Oct: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) assistant engineer examination question paper leak case. It registered an FIR in the high-profile case on Wednesday.
It is learnt that the CBI has carried out the formalities of taking over the investigation from the vigilance department’s Special Investigation Cell (SIC).
In a press briefing here on Thursday evening, SIC SP Anant Mittal informed that the SIC is in the process of handing over the evidence.
“It is a long process because the documents seized are voluminous; there is a large number of documents and evidence. We also have digital evidence, which we have coordinated with the CBI for examination in its forensic laboratory, which is the best in India,” the SP said.
“We are hopeful that within four-five days we should be able to transfer all the assets of the investigation, so that the CBI can take up from its end. We have also promised any sort of help or support from the SIC team and the CBI promised to keep us in the loop,” Mittal added.
Highlighting the status of the case, the SP informed that “one more candidate is on the run, avoiding SIC arrest, as he has got protection from the high court.”
The SP said that one Jobomchang Mengu, of Pasighat (East Siang), who has been named as one of the brokers, is also absconding.
“We have contested his (Mengu) bail application and Mengu’s interim bail application was rejected by the Gauhati High Court. Mengu has been absconding so far. We have been trying to trace him through digital traces and financial transaction. We have issued a non-bailable warrant, which has been affixed to his house. I am sure the CBI will take him into custody whenever required,” he stated.
The SP further said that the SIC is battling legal obstructions in order to retain custody of all the accused.
“We are fighting our battle in the court. So far, none of them has been given bail,” he said.
Mittal further informed that Akilesh Yadav was granted bail by the sessions court on Wednesday and he is cooperating with the investigation.
“The SIC has conducted a number of raids across the state, in Pasighat, Itanagar, Naharlagun and nearby areas and Guwahati, and we have seized lots of incriminating materials which lead to convictions in this case,” he said.
On the allegation levelled by agitated aspirants that the APPSC exam results were removed from the website and the evidence were tampered with, the SP claimed that the SIC has conducted in-depth inquiry into the allegation.
“The website of APPSC was revamped in 2020. All the results onwards are available on the website. They are accessible then or today. The results prior to 2020 may not be available on the website, but they are available with the commission,” he said, stating that “the rumour is completely wrong.”
The SP also said that the SIC has gone through the CCTV footage and found no unauthorised person accessing the strong room.
“We would like to point out that this belief that evidence were tampered with is completely false. There is no substantive basis to believe in this,” he said.
Mittal further informed that the SIC has looked into the disproportionate assets of the accused in the case and has requested the CBI to “conduct in-depth investigation into his disproportionate assets.”
