APSC scam: 14 officers in judicial remand, suspended from

A special court here today sent 14 arrested Assam civil services officers to 14 days of judicial custody in the cash-for-job scam in Assam Public Service Commission after their police remand ended.
Justice A Bhattacharjee sent to jail the 14 accused, who were suspended from their services for paying money in getting jobs in the elite services.
Hrishikesh Goswami, the media advisor to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, said, "All persons going to jail have been suspended."
Assam Director General of Police Mukesh Sahay said police can get a maximum of 14 days remand. After that, all accused are sent to judicial custody.

"The remaining arrested will also be produced in the court in due course of time," he said.
Police have so far arrested 23 of the identified 25 civil services officers of the 2015 batch in the scam and had their answer scripts checked by forensic experts, which confirmed anomalies.

Of them, 13 are from the Assam Civil Services, seven from the Assam Police Services and the rest from the allied civil services.
On November 8, in a surprise operation, the police arrested 16 civil service officers for being allegedly involved in the scam.
APSC's former chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul was arrested on November 4 last year and Rs 50 lakh seized from him. Some 'benami' properties belonging to him were also identified.

Two APSC members Samedur Rahman and Basanta Kumar Doley were arrested later.
It was followed by the arrest of APSC assistant controller of examinations Pabitra Kaibarta. Some more officials and others were later arrested in connection with the scam.