4 arrested for forging CM’s signature, duping company of lakhs in Assam

Police received inputs from the chief minister’s office on September 8 that the chief engineer (public health engineering-water) received a note with a forged signature of the CM with directions that a contract worth over ₹3 crore be awarded to Lohit Construction

Published on: Sep 13, 2021, 14:23:27 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Police in Assam have arrested four persons for allegedly forging signature of chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and duping a company of several lakhs of rupees with assurances of a government contract.

According to a police release on Monday, they received inputs from the chief minister’s office on September 8 that the chief engineer (public health engineering-water) received a note with a forged signature of the CM with directions that a contract worth over ₹3 crore be awarded to Lohit Construction.

A case was lodged at Dispur police station and four persons of the company were called in for questioning. They revealed that one Imrah Shah Chaudhary, a resident of Guwahati, had assured them of a contract worth ₹3.16 crore in the department in lieu of a 3% commission.

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Two of the four persons questioned reportedly handed over ₹9 lakh (3% of the total value of the contract) to Chaudhary who, in turn, gave them a forged note which they submitted to the chief engineer’s office.

Police investigation revealed that Chaudhary had forged the CM’s signature with the help of three others -- Dilip Das, Anupam Chaudhary and Prakash Basumatary. The trio allegedly received ₹3 lakh as commission from Chaudhary for their help. The forged document was prepared at a shop owned by one Naba Roy.

“Investigation revealed that Chaudhary and one Rajib Kalita escaped to Delhi once they got to know about the FIR. A team of Guwahati police tracked them down,” said the police release.

Kalita was arrested on September 11 at the Guwahati airport on his arrival from Delhi. Another accused, Dilip Das, was arrested the same day from Guwahati.

On Sunday, Chaudhary was arrested from a hotel in New Delhi. He will be brought to Guwahati shortly.

On Monday, shop owner Naba Roy was also picked up by the police. Search is on to arrest the two other accused who are absconding.

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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