Central Bureau of Investigation takes up Rs 7.33-crore fraud case in Jute Board

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case (No RC-O202021A0003 against Aniruddha Dutta, Kabita Sengupta and others of Assam Golden Fibre Jute Park Pvt Ltd under section 420, 406, 468 and 471 of IPC in connection with a more than Rs 7.33-crore forgery case.

The central investigation agency has taken up the case in pursuance of the State Home and Political Department's notification on June 22, 2021, and a notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on October 12, 2021. The Shillong branch of CBI's Anti-Corruption Bureau has taken up the case registered by the Silchar police station (No 2996 in November 2016 under sections 420. 406, 468 and 471 of IPC based on a complaint lodged by National Jute Board (NJB) Chief Vigilance Officer Susant Pal for cheating and misappropriating of public funds causing wrongful loss of more than Rs 7.33 crore to NJB.

Notably, the NJB has undertaken a Jute Park for the diversified sector under National Jute Technology Mission, Mini Mission IV during the 11th Five Year Plan to attract entrepreneurs, units investing in new small jute mills/ spinning mills/weaving units to create employment generation in the area.

The scheme was to be implemented in the private-public partnership (PPP) model. Under this scheme, the Assam Golden Fibre Jute Park Pvt Ltd (AGFJPL) was released the first instalment with a total project cost of Rs 821.64 lakh during 2010-11.

Further, the cost of the project cost has been increased to Rs 861 crore from Rs 821 lakh with a new proposal for the construction of a bridge on the site and the subsidy was also increased to Rs 733 lakh from 697 lakh.

Notably, the NJB has been implementing the scheme under the 10:90 investment plan i.e the government will provide 90 per cent while the private unit has to invest 10 per cent of the project cost.

However, the unit to be set up at a public cost was not set up and no practical activity can be traced in the park during a physical inspection by the NJB.

The NJB has lodged the FIR against misappropriation, cheating, criminal breach of trust and fraudulent withdrawal of public money by Anirudha Dutta, Kabita Sengupta and others, Assam Golden Fibre Jute Park Pvt Ltd and causing wrongful loss of more than Rs 7.33 crore to NJB at Silchar police station on November 8, 2016.

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