Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by deposed chairman of Assam Public Service Commission Rakesh Kumar Paul, the main accused in the cash-for-job scam, challenging a 2015 Gauhati High Court order for a preliminary inquiry by CBI into allegations of corruption against him.

A division bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Navin Sinha dismissed Paul's petition, observing that it has become infructuous because of subsequent developments.

"Since Paul has been arrested by Assam police in 2016 and presidential sanction has also been granted for his prosecution, the apex court found no reason to have a separate CBI inquiry against him," Assam government counsel in the apex court Debojit Borkakati said.

Paul was arrested in November 2016 in connection with a case registered at Dibrugarh police station after a job aspirant, Anshumita Gogoi, lodged a complaint saying that Nabakanta Patir, an engineer, had offered her a government job through the APSC if she paid a bribe. Her complaint first led to arrest of Patir and based on his confession, Paul was arrested.

Paul, who is currently under suspension, has been chargesheeted in this case.

A division bench of Chief Justice (acting) K. Sreedhar Rao and Justice P.K. Saikia of Gauhati High Court on October 16, 2015, had ordered a preliminary probe by the CBI into allegations of corruption against Paul.

The high court had directed the CBI to conduct the preliminary inquiry into allegations of corruption and accusations of amassing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income against Paul, his wife Sunanda, brother Rajeev and driver Sanjay Saha.

The high court passed the order in connection with a public interest litigation and writ petitions filed by KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi and others, alleging irregularities in civil service examinations conducted by the APSC.

Paul, who was also arrested in connection with another case registered against him at Bhangagarh police station, is currently in judicial custody in Guwahati Central Jail.