Three arrested for extortion involving fake caste certificates by Digboi police

 OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: Three, including a local journalist, were netted by Digboi police here on Monday evening on extortion charges involving fake caste certificates. The arrested accused were identified as Apurba Hazarika, a local AOD contractor-cum-secretary of the so called Schedule Caste Jatiya Sangram Yuba Parishad, Manoj Kumar Das, the vice president of the organisation and Monoranjan Das, the former secretary of Tinsukia District Journalist Association-cum-present secretary of Digboi Press Club.

Confirming the development involving the busting of fake caste certificate racket in Digboi, Abhijit Gaurav, the Superintendent of Police said that the accused were involved in extorting a staggering amount worth Rs 41.50 lakh from one of the retired AOD employees Ranjit Suklabaidhya, a resident of Digboi’s Purnima Nagar in Tinsukia district.

“The trio accused in the case were arrested based on an FIR lodged by the victim on 31.05.2022 supported by material evidences which were enough to ascetain the exect nature of crime perpetrated,” said the top cop of the district.

“Monuranjan Das and 3 others had visited the residence of the retired employee and demanded from him all his service records identifying themselves as part of investigating group from Guwahati. They had allegedly verified all his service records including SC caste certificate,” Gaurav said.

“He was told that his certificate is fake. They threatened the complainant for dire consequences and demanded a huge amount of money,” added the SP Tinsukia.

The victim of extortion racket was forced to sign four different cheque of Rs. 25,00,000 which was allegedly withdrawn by the accused. The menace didn’t end there, they further demanded and extorted an additional amount of Rs. 1,50,000 from the victim, said the police official adding finally the corporation employee dared to seek the legal assistance to get rid of the unending cycle. This group might have extorted money from many such victims too, Gaurav said.

Meanwhile, the accused journalist has been suspended officially by the concerned regional media house he was associated with to assist the police in the investigations thereof. Notably, the arrested journalist has also filed his nomination for the election against the chairman seat of the Borbil Samabai Samity on BJP ticket slated on March 14

Dibya jyoti Dutta, the Inspector of Digboi police station said the accused were remanded on Tuesday for 3 days in police custody so that the nexus operating in wider areas could be effectively cracked upon following interrogations and investigations therof. However, registering a case under 48/2023 with Digboi police station, the trios were prosecuted u/s 120(b)/368 IPC.

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