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Regular-article-logo Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Court asks CBI to probe Paul assets

Preliminary inquiry found that properties owned by Paul and his family members were disproportionate to their known sources of income

Our Special Correspondent Guwahati Published 14.06.19, 06:36 PM
Rakesh Kumar Paul

Rakesh Kumar Paul The Telegraph file picture

Gauhati High Court on Friday ordered a regular inquiry by the CBI into assets amassed by suspended Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and his family members, allegedly disproportionate to their known sources of income.

CBI counsel Subhash Chandra Kayal said the high court directed the investigative agency to register a regular case, investigate the matter and bring the investigation to a logical conclusion.

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A bench of Chief Justice (acting) Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Manish Choudhury passed the order after a preliminary inquiry by the CBI found that properties owned by Paul and his family members were disproportionate to their known sources of income.

The CBI had conducted the preliminary inquiry into the assets of Paul, his wife Sunanda, brother Rajeev and driver Sanjay Saha, allegedly disproportionate to their known sources of income, in accordance with a 2015 high court order.

The high court on Friday also dismissed a petition filed by the Assam government, seeking review of an order passed by the high court in 2015.

The order, passed by a division bench of the high court in October 2015, directed the state government to constitute a judicial commission headed by a retired judge to inquire into alleged anomalies and misconduct by the APSC in conducting the combined competitive examination (CCE) of 2013.

The results of CCE 2013 were declared in 2015.

The 2015 order was passed by the high court in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL) No. 106/2015 filed by Okram Prasanta Singha.

By dismissing the review petition filed by the state government, the high court paved way for the judicial inquiry.

“The high court on Friday asked the state government to comply with the 2015 order within one month,” Singha said.

In the 2015 order, the high court had asked the state government to nominate the judge within one month.

Assam police is currently investigating allegations of candidates securing jobs through APSC by paying bribes.

So far, the police have chargesheeted 74 accused, including Paul, in the case.

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