CBI seeks HC nod to lodge FIR against prime accused in APSC scam

GUWAHATI: The CBI has prayed for permission from the Gauhati high court to lodge a formal FIR against Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam prime accused Rakesh Paul.
Earlier, the premier investigating agency, in its preliminary probe report, had said Paul's assets amount to over 92% of his income.
The CBI took up the preliminary probe after the Supreme Court had cleared the decks for a CBI inquiry, dismissing Paul's plea challenging a previous Gauhati high court order for initiating the probe. In 2015, the high court had ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry following a complaint by KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi against Paul and his family members. A previous investigation by Assam Police's vigilance and anti-corruption department, too, had unearthed that Paul, his family and even his driver had acquired several properties since he became an APSC member.
Advocate Shantanu Borthakur, the counsel of Gogoi, said, "The court, after going through the CBI report, has fixed the next date on May 15."
Submitting the biggest ever list of properties, including benami properties owned by Paul and his close relatives, a CBI source said, "Paul himself owns at least 22 properties, including residential flats and plots. After calculating his income and going through all the records, it has been found that majority of the properties were bought after Paul became the chairman of the APSC." Paul's properties include flats and plots in Guwahati and Kolkata and also assets owned by his family members.
"The APSC scam included many 'big fish' and the CBI inquiry will reveal more," said Gohoi, the peitioner.
Paul was arrested in November, 2016, after a job aspirant lodged a complaint in Dibrugarh police station saying that Nabakanta Patir, an engineer, had offered her a government job through the APSC if she pays a bribe. Her complaint first led to the arrest of Patir and then Paul's arrest. Altogether 74 people have been arrested in connection with the case.