CBI files another FIR in APPSC cash-for-job scam; SIC says Jerang hiding important evidence

ITANAGAR, 7 Jan: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed another FIR in the cash-for-job scam of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) and will formally take over the case, a senior police officer said here on Saturday.

The CBI filed the FIR on Friday against a case pertaining to all irregularities committed in the examinations conducted by the APPSC since 2014, Special Investigation Cell (SIC) SP Anant Mittal said.

The SIC has been investigating the case and has arrested 46 persons so far, including 39 government officials.

“The SIC had received 36 complaints regarding various examinations conducted by the APPSC since 2014. The investigation was started after clubbing all the cases into a single case and 46 people were accordingly arrested,” Mittal said.

Among those arrested, 39 are government servants. The respective departments have been served with the information of the arrest for necessary departmental proceedings, the SP added.

The state government had recently recommended for CBI enquiry into the case in addition to the paper leak case being investigated by the premier investigating agency.

Mittal said the SIC feels that the prime accused, Taket Jerang, is not revealing the entire truth of the scam. It thus sought a narcoanalysis test from the court, which gave the permission to go ahead.

He said that all efforts are being made to gather evidence from Taket Jerang on the alleged involvement of former APPSC chairman Nipo Nabam and other officials of the commission.

The former APPSC chairman was interrogated, but no solid evidence has yet been received by the SIC to confirm his involvement.

“However, the SIC believes that Jerang is hiding important evidence. This can be revealed only after the narcoanalysis test,” he added.

Mittal said the SIC has already submitted all the relevant documents of the case to the CBI.

“We will not investigate the case anymore. However, when the CBI requires inputs from SIC, we will cooperate,” he added.

The question paper leak incident of assistant engineer (civil) exam, conducted by the APPSC came to light when one Gyamar Padung, a candidate, filed a police complaint before the Itanagar police station on 29 August last year, claiming that he suspected that the AE (civil) examination paper had been leaked.

More than 400 candidates appeared in the examination held on 26 and 27 August.

In October last year, the state government handed over the case to the CBI.

The CBI filed a chargesheet against 11 accused persons at the district & sessions court in Yupia near here, on 8 December.

The premier investigating agency had taken over the investigation on 27 October after the state government recommended for a probe by the CBI. (PTI)