Guwahati, Nov 9 (PTI) Departmental proceedings have been initiated against 34 Assam Civil Service (ACS) officers of the 2013 batch, who allegedly paid money for qualifying the combined civil services examinations conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), an official statement said on Thursday.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed that action be taken against those officers of the 2013 batch, whose names are mentioned in the report submitted by Justice BK Sarma Committee, which is probing the "cash for jobs scam".

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Sarma has directed that strict action be taken against the accused at the earliest, the statement issued by his office said.

Similarly, action has been initiated against those candidates of the 2014 batch who were allegedly selected by unfair means with their marks changed during the tabulation process, it said.

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The state government has so far dismissed 57 persons who were selected in the civil services in 2013 and 2014.

Nearly 70 people, including APSC's former chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 civil services officers, have been arrested since 2016 in connection with the irregularities.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)