HC didn't ask for reinstatement of tainted APSC officers, says CM Sarma
The order only asked for issuance of ‘non-stigmatic’ discharge letters for these former officers so that they can seek future employment.;

Guwahati, June 28: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday clarified that the recent Gauhati High Court directive in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) cash-for-job scam case did not instruct the State government to reinstate the dismissed officers involved in the scam.
He claimed that the order only asked for issuance of ‘non-stigmatic’ discharge letters for these former officers so that they can seek future employment.
“We examined the HC order yesterday (Thursday). There is no directive to reinstate the dismissed officers in their jobs,” Sarma said at a press conference, referring to the High Court order of June 20 in a case relating to the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) job scam.
“We have been only told that the discharge order be made non-stigmatic one, with no mention of the APSC or anything, and that they were dismissed for unsatisfactory performance. The court has asked for it so that they can seek employment elsewhere in the future,” he claimed.
According to the Chief Minister, the revised discharge letters will be issued to former civil, tax, and other service officers to enable them to seek employment elsewhere.
For the tainted Assam Police Service (APS) officers, however, the situation is different. Sarma explained that as they were still under probation at the time of their dismissal, the court has directed the State government to reinstate them temporarily, complete departmental proceedings within three months, and then decide whether to retain or dismiss them based on the outcome.
“We are examining whether we have to move the Supreme Court with regards to the APS part,” he added.
Sarma further said that, contrary to some perceptions, the High Court order does not offer any relief to the dismissed officers.
“I have heard that the dismissed officers may now go to the apex court as this order doesn’t help them in any way,” he remarked.
The APSC cash-for-job scam, which surfaced in 2016, led to the arrest of over 70 individuals, including former APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 officials across various civil services.
-With inputs from PTI