Itanagar, Nov 4: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday raided 16 locations in the ongoing investigation into the recent Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) paper leak case. The 16 places where the search was conducted are spread across Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal & Uttar Pradesh.

The examination for which the paper was allegedly leaked was for the post of Assistant Civil engineer (Civil). The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) conducted the examination for the post of AE (Civil) on August 26 and 27.

The CBI had registered a case on October 26 after the government of Arunachal Pradesh requested the central government that the case be transferred to the central investigating agency.

An official statement from the CBI revealed that the search led the investigative officers to recover incriminating documents and articles, which also includes fake/counterfeit stamps of executive magistrate of Arunachal Pradesh, Executive Engineer, State Bank of India, as well as pen drives, hard discs etc.

A notification from the Centre had led to the investigation subsequently getting transferred from the Itanagar Police Station to the Special Investigation Cell (Vigilance) on September 27.

A case was registered against a teacher of a coaching Institute at Itanagar and unknown officials of APPSC. The complaints alleged leakage of question paper prior to the written examination.

Official statements by the CBI in the matter have named one Akhilesh Yadav of Jeju Institute, Itanagar, Papum Pare district.

The said complaint alleged that the accused possessed questions for the APPSC examination. The allegations accused him of leaking the paper with assistance from unknown officials of APPSC.

In the course of the investigation, the Arunachal Pradesh cabinet recommended to initiate provisions of the Article 317 to remove and suspend four members of the APPSC.

The state of Arunachal Pradesh has been experiencing uproar caused by the paper leak during recruitment exams for the post of assistant engineers (civil). APPSC chairman Nipo Nabam resigned on moral grounds on October 14 evening amid the controversy over the paper leak. Earlier, Arunachal CM Pema Khandu had said Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju, who represents the state in the Lok Sabha, has taken up the matter with the CBI for an early probe.