Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced that the state government will move the Supreme Court against a Gauhati High Court order directing the reinstatement of 52 officials who were dismissed in connection with the infamous cash-for-jobs scam in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).
Speaking to reporters in Baksa during an International Day of Yoga event, Sarma termed the High Court’s ruling as “painful” and “disappointing,” particularly at a time when the government has been committed to ensuring transparent, merit-based recruitment in the state.
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The Gauhati High Court, in its order issued on Friday, directed the Assam government to reinstate 52 of the 57 officials from the 2013 and 2014 batches of the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE), who were previously dismissed over their alleged involvement in the recruitment scam.
These include officers from the civil, police, and allied services. The court ordered their reinstatement within 50 days, with a condition that they not be assigned any duties for the first 30 days, during which time the state may initiate departmental inquiries if necessary.
“The judgement by the division bench on the APSC matter is painful. We are disappointed,” Sarma said. “I have not yet gone through the full judgment, but based on media reports, if the contents are accurate, it is unfortunate.”
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Reaffirming the state government’s stand, Sarma added, “We will definitely appeal before the Supreme Court. We will fight till the last moment to ensure that those who got jobs through dishonest means are not allowed to return to the system.”
The APSC cash-for-jobs scam first came to light in 2016, triggering a major crackdown. Over 70 people were arrested during the investigation, including former APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 officials who had secured jobs through fraudulent means.
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