Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday said his government has recommended a CBI inquiry into the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) exam paper leak.

The question paper of the exam for the Assistant Engineer (Civil), conducted on August 26 and 27 by the APPSC, was leaked. Police have arrested five people so far in the case.

Speaking to reporters in Ziro in Lower Subansiri district after inaugurating a slew of projects, Khandu said the state government has decided to hand over the investigation to the CBI.

“The APPSC is considered to be the highest recruitment institution of the state and such kind of corruption in the recruitment process will not be tolerated,” he said.

Unemployed youths of the state have a lot of expectations from the APPSC, he added.

Khandu said the paper leak has created a negative impression among the job aspirants on the APPSC and the government.

“The officers involved in the corruption will not be spared under any circumstances so that no one can dare to repeat the same mistake whether it is in Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board (APSSB) or APPSC,” he said.

The chief minister said his government has constituted a committee to examine the Standard Operational Procedures (SOPs) of the APPSC, and the report will be submitted within two weeks.

“To determine any flaws in the system, the APPSC has also constituted two internal audit committees to examine the issue of paper leaks of prelims and main AE (Civil) examinations, which the state government will thoroughly examine,” the chief minister said.

Police have arrested five people, including the deputy secretary cum deputy controller of examination Taket Jerang, a teacher at a coaching institute, a candidate for the examination, his father who is a head assistant at the office of the deputy director of school education in Siang district and a middleman.