Assam Police Recruitment Board chief owns responsibility and resigns

SI QUESTION PAPER SCAM

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In a major development on Sunday, taking moral responsibility over the leakage of question paper meant for the examination to recruit 597 Police Sub Inspectors (SIs), the Chairman of the 'State Level Police Recruitment Board, Assam', Pradeep Kumar resigned from his position. He also extended his apologies to the candidates and their families for failing to conduct the recruitment examination in a fair manner. Meanwhile during the day, Police nabbed six persons allegedly connected with the scam in different operations across the State.

In one such operation, State police arrested Anwar Hussain — the driver of ex-DIG (Deputy Inspector General) of Assam Police PK Dutta — at Dalgaon in Darrang district. Hussain has been handed over to the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) of the State Police. CID sleuths are questioning Hussain in its Ulubari office here.

Another team of CID is also grilling Joydeb Barua – a close associate of PK Dutta. Police had arrested Barua – a resident of Chandmari in Guwahati — from his relative's house in Tinsukia on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Crime Branch sealed 'Hotel Bhargav Inn' at Paltan Bazar, and also conducted a raid at 'Hotel Bhargav' in Ganeshguri – both owned by Dutta in Guwahati.

In another link, police detained five persons from various places in Nalbari district during the day. Of them, four are candidates of the SI examination that has been already cancelled following the leakage of question paper on September 20. The detained candidates are Dhrubajyoti Barua from Kamalpur, Sanjib Barman from Belsor, Mridul Barman and Parthapratim Pathak – both from Makhibaha. The other detained person is Harkat Ali – suspected to be a middleman — from Mukalmua.

Police sources told The Sentinel that each of the four detainees appeared in a mock test in a city lodge just a day before the actual examination. Sources also claimed that each of the four detainees was given 100 questions in advance by a tout. Such mock tests were held at several places.

Meanwhile, Crime Branch sources said that such a mock test was conducted in the 'Tank You Lodge' in the city by Diban Deka who is yet to be traced. Pointing out that Diban met one of the owners of the lodge — Pranjal Sarma — on September 15 in this regard, the sources added that Pranjal took Rs 50,000 from Diban to complete the deal. Pranjal revealed this during his questioning.

Also Watch: Rain Water From Meghalaya Submerges Assam Villages