Assam: Two govt employees arrested for ‘plot to kill Himanta Biswa Sarma

The accused, Fakruddin Ali and Pawan Ali, both fourth grade employees in the state health department, had allegedly sent SMSes to several former Congress ministers seeking Rs 5 crore to murder Sarma.

Updated on: Dec 8, 2017, 18:34:24 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Assam Police have arrested two persons for allegedly planning to murder Himanta Biswa Sarma, an influential minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government in the state.

File photo of Himanta Biswa Sarma after winning in the assembly elections in Guwahati. (PTI)

Fakruddin Ali and Pawan Ali, both fourth grade employees in the state health department, had allegedly sent SMSes to several former Congress ministers seeking Rs 5 crore to murder the minister.

Sarma, who holds finance, tourism, education and health portfolios, was a minister in the previous Congress regime led by Tarun Gogoi before he joined the saffron party in 2015.

“Based on information from reliable source, we nabbed the duo and seized a mobile phone from which they had sent four similar SMSes to different persons seeking money to kill Sarma,” Nabaneet Mahanta, additional superintendent of police Kamrup (Rural) told HT.

The SMSes were allegedly sent to mobile phones registered in the names of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, former minister Rockybul Hussain and Congress leader Dulu Ahmed.

“The accused have told us that the fourth number belonged to state Congress chief Ripun Bora, but that is yet to be verified,” said Mahanta.

Both accused were arrested on Tuesday and were remanded to two days police custody. They were produced in a local court on Friday, which remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.

“I got an objectionable message a few days back while I was in Delhi. I immediately talked to the Assam Police DGP about it and forwarded the SMS to him. Based on my intimation, the police conducted investigations and arrested the two people,” former minister Rockybul Hussain told HT.

State Congress president Ripun Bora didn’t respond to calls.

Police have registered a case against the accused under various sections of IPC for attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication etc. and are conducting further investigations .

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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