Assam Government official arrested in multi crore scam

The Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell, Assam, has arrested Director of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Ranjit Gogoi in connection with an alleged multi-crore scam revolving around the erstwhile "Vision Assam, Mission Assam" publicity campaign. An Assam Court remanded him to 3 days of police custody.

An alleged scam exists around the "Vision Assam, Mission Assam" of the previous Congress-led Assam Government.

The 33 crore scam had seen Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell file an FIR on October 21 naming 5 persons including Gogoi. Charges under Sections 120b/468/471/406/409/420 of Indian Penal Code Read With Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act have been pressed.

Charges have also been pressed against M/s Brahmaputra Television Network proprietors Rajib Bora and Anjana Bora; M/s Delta Publicity proprietor Dilip Kalita along with Pradip Advertising proprietor Apurba Lahkar in the FIR.

"More names can come up during the investigation" stated Jyotirmoy Chakravarty, Office-in-Charge of the Special Vigilance Cell, investigating the case.

The DIPR allegedly misappropriated an amount of Rs 33 Crores of the "Vision Assam Mission Assam" in the form of advertisements, hoardings in connivance with the other accused and their firms.

The inquiry report also hints at the involvement of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) when Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was in the chair.

"While the honourable Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi may not be aware of the procedural nuances and lapses that took place, senior officers of the CMO, Information and Public Relation Department and DIPR did not take proper care while processing and implementing the project and we incurred wasteful expenditure without achieving the desired result" alleged the report.

The DIPR was summoned to the office of the vigilance cell in Dispur on Tuesday from where he was arrested.

OneIndia News