36 named in chargesheet in Assam Police exam paper leak scam

Guwahati, Dec. 18 (PTI): The Assam Police on Friday filed a chargesheet before a special court here against 36 people for their alleged involvement in the state police exam paper leak scam.

The 2621-page chargesheet included names of former Karimganj SP Kumar Sanjit Krishna, expelled BJP leader Dibon Deka and retired DIG P K Dutta.

The chargesheet was submitted in 87 days since the first arrest in the case, Criminal Investigation Department IGP Surendra Kumar told reporters here.

He said the case diary of 1,217 pages has also been filed and names of 183 people have been mentioned as prosecution witnesses, he said. The confessional statements of five arrested persons were recorded by the Judicial Magistrate in connection with the case, Kumar said.

The state police had seized Rs 6.27 crore in cash, 32 mobile phones, 11 digital video recorder, five laptops and ten vehicles, including a two wheeler.

Altogether 40 people, including former Karimganj SP Kumar Sanjit Krishna, retired DIG P K Dutta and expelled BJP leader Dibon Deka, have been arrested, Kumar said.

The case was registered after a complaint was lodged by Pradeep Kumar, then chairman of the State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB), Assam. He had resigned from the post, taking moral responsibility for the scam.

On September 20, the question paper of the written examination for 597 posts of unarmed sub-inspectors in Assam Police was leaked, and the SLPRB cancelled the test minutes after it had commenced.

Around 66,000 candidates had downloaded their admit cards for appearing in the written tests across 154 centres in all the districts.

After Kumar’s resignation, the government had reconstituted the SLPRB with the state DGP as its chairman, and a fresh examination was held on November 22 and the results were declared on December 12.

Altogether 3,162 candidates have qualified for the next round of tests for the posts.