Four Agriculture department officials sent to 14-day judicial custody, one to 3-day police custody
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Feb 27: In the ongoing probe into the Rs 2,250 crore Social Welfare scam, six officials of the department were interrogated by Vigilance and Anti-Corruption sleuths here, following which they were arrested for the first time in the case.
The six arrested officials are Kulen Saikia, programme officer, Social Welfare department; RS Bhattacharjee, FAO, Kamrup; Himi Bora, Goalpara district social welfare officer; Kishori Dutta, Kamrup district social welfare office; Debasish Dey, UDA, Kamrup; and Sajid Hussain, LDA, Goalpara. Two other former directors of the Social Welfare department Dilip Borthakur and Kumud Kalita were also interrogated by the sleuths of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption. This was informed by YK Gautam, ADGP, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption before media on Monday.
Earlier in the same case, ex-ministers Akon Bora, Gautam Roy and Ajanta Neog were interrogated by Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.
Meanwhile, of the five Agriculture department officials arrested for involvement in the Rs 700 crore scam relating to RKVY and BGREI schemes, four were sent to 14-day judicial custody on Monday. Rohit Bharali, another accused in the scam, was sent to 3-day police custody.
Besides Rohit Bharali, presently junior engineer serving at gaon, the four other arrested officials are Birendra th Sarma, earlier SDAO, Golaghat and presently DAO, Jorhat; Lakheswar Gam, earlier assistant executive engineer, Golaghat and presently assistant engineer, Gohpur; Dilip Baruah, earlier executive engineer, gaon and presently executive engineer (WM), Khapara; and Ranbir Kakoty, presently executive engineer, gaon.
The Court also told the police investigating the scam to file the case diary within March 6.
Some other officials of Agriculture department were also grilled by the police at Kahilipara on Monday in connection with the Rs 700 crore scam.
It may be mentioned that the Assam Public Works (APW) first filed a case (no. 56/14) in the Rs 700 crore scam relating to RKVY and BGREI schemes on September 1, 2014, but later the same case (no. 56/14) was filed in the Special Judge Court by APW, given no investigation into the case done by the CID.