State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) scam: 4 arrested for blackmailing prime accused

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell (SVC) on Tuesday arrested four more persons for allegedly blackmailing Sewali Devi Sarma, the prime accused in the Rs 105-crore scam in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Assam.

The CM’s SVC arrested two journalists – Pujamoni Das and Bhaskar Jyoti Hazarika– and two RTI activists Rabijit Gogoi and Anup Saikia. They had allegedly blackmailed Sewali Devi Sarma and taken money from her. Sources said that besides receiving cash from her, there are evidences of banking transactions between Sewali Devi Sarma and the arrested persons.

The CM’s SVC has summoned several journalists and RTI activists who have been named by Sewali Devi Sarma during questioning. According to sources, former Deputy Director, Lakhi Narayan Sonowal had allegedly managed the journalists and RTI activists. Sources further said that more arrests are likely to be made soon.

According to sources, the CM’s SVC has summoned the coordinators and principals of the educational institutions offering Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) course under Open Distance Learning (ODL). The CM’s SVC is verifying the documents of these educational institutions. On Monday, the coordinators of the District Institutes for Education and Training (DIET) of Dibrugarh, Silchar, Bongaigaon, Golaghat and Jorhat were summoned for examining their documents.

Alleged financial anomalies and fund misappropriation to the tune of Rs 105 crore took place in SCERT, Assam in the name of offering Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed) course under Open Distance Learning (ODL). The alleged financial irregularities took place between 2017 to 2022. After the allegations of financial anomalies surfaced, the Assam Government suspended IAS officer Sewali Devi Sarma, Secretary to the Assam Government, Agriculture Department. She was the then in-charge Director of SCERT, Assam. Sewali Devi Sarma and two others were arrested from Ajmer in Rajasthan.

Also Read: SCERT Scam: Journalists, RTI Workers Summoned to CM Vigilance Office

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