Arunachal Pradesh: SIC arrest another person in illegal teachers appointment scam

ITANAGAR: The Special Investigation Cell (SIC) of Arunachal Pradesh Police arrested another government official in connection with illegal appointment of teachers in Longding district of the northeastern state, a senior police officer said here on Friday.

The SIC on Wednesday arrested Jashi Wangsu, a trained graduate teacher and accountant at the DDSE office in the district, SIC SP Anant Mittal said.

With the arrest of Wangsu, the SIC has so far arrested two persons in the cash for job scam including, former Longding deputy director of school education (DDSE) Jomdo Lona. Lona (61) was arrested by SIC from his residence in West Siang district last week for his alleged involvement in illegal appointments of 28 primary teachers in Longding.

The first arrest in the case was made three days after the investigating agency had conducted raids at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in connection with the alleged illegal appointment of teachers, on July 24 this year.

"During the raid carried out concurrently at various residential and office premises, a few important documents, digital evidence and some seals were seized," Mittal said.

The state government in June had terminated all 28 primary teachers following the recommendations of a three-member Fact Finding Committee constituted by state Education minister Taba Tedir after allegations of illegal appointments were made by a local students' body.

On the basis of the findings of the committee report, the SIC (Vigilance) police station at the civil secretariat here, registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988 on July 7. The SIC had sought the state government's approval to probe into the multiple illegal appointment of teachers in Longding district after obtaining the government's approval. Mittal added that the investigation into the illegal appointment is going on and all facets of the case are being investigated in detail.