CM Himanta's signature was scanned to create forged documents: DCP
Two more accused in the case absconding
STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The signature of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was scanned to create forged documents to get two work orders from the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department. This was disclosed on Monday to media persons by DCP, East Guwahati Police District (EGPD).
He said that on September 8, 2021, an FIR was received from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) which stated that a note had been given to the Chief Engineer (PHE) Water, Assam for work to be allotted in the name of Lohit Construction, a firm in Sivasagar, with a forged signature of the Chief Minister. Accordingly, a case was registered in Dispur Police Station and investigated. Within few hours, Guwahati Police and Sivsagar Police picked up four persons connected to Lohit Construction and they were thoroughly examined. These four persons were Binit Poddar, Dipjyoti Dutta, Jaimini Mohan and Pankaj Gogoi. They revealed that they had come in contact with Imran Sha Chaudhary through the brother-in-law of Jaimini Mohan. Imran Sha Chaudhary, kingpin of the crime, claimed that it would be very easy for him to get them a contract in the PHE Department through the CMO directly, but he would take 3 per cent commission. Imran Sha Chaudhary assured of getting them two contracts worth Rs. 3.16 crore, and thus demanded Rs 9 lakh as commission.
Binit Poddar and Dipjyoti Dutta managed to collect Rs 9 lakh from friends and family and gave it to Imran Sha Chaudhary, who gave them the forged paper, which they finally submitted to the Chief Engineer, PHE Department. Police investigation revealed that Imran Sha Chaudhary and one Rajib Kalita escaped to Delhi immediately after they came to know about the FIR. A team of Guwahati Police went immediately to New Delhi and tracked the accused persons, who were regularly changing their locations to escape from the police.
Imran Sha Chaudhary created the forged document with the help of three other persons – Dilip Das alias Rubu from Khanapara, Anupam Chaudhary from Hengerabari and Prakash Basumatary from Kajolgaon. They scanned an actual signature of the Chief Minister to create the forged document in the shop of one Naba Roy. They gave the forged document to Imran Sha Chaudhary and received 1 per cent commission i.e Rs 3 lakh.
Rs 1 lakh each was distributed among Dilip Das alias Rubu, Anupam Chaudhary and Prakash Basumatary. On September 11, Rajib Kalita was arrested by city police at LGBI Airport on arrival from Delhi. Dilip Das alias Rubu was arrested by city police on the same day and examined thoroughly. On Sunday, Imran Sha Chaudhary was arrested by a team of East Guwahati Police District (EGPD) in New Delhi with the cooperation of Delhi Police. On Monday morning, the shop owner, Naba Roy, was picked up by the police. Two accused persons –Anupam Chaudhary and Prakash Basumatary –are absconding, said the DCP.
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