A special court on Monday granted bail to late former Assam chief minister Hiteswar Saikia’s son, Ashok Saikia, who was arrested a day earlier in connection with an alleged bank fraud case.
“The bail was granted by the court of a special magistrate (Central Bureau of Investigation) following our plea that my brother should not have been arrested. The exact details and conditions are not available yet,” said Ashok Saikia’s brother, Debabrata Saikia, the leader of opposition in the Assam assembly.
Ashok Saikia was arrested from his residence in Guwahati. His family said the case pertains to a ₹9.37 lakh loan that Ashok Saikia had taken from the Assam State Cooperative And Rural Development Bank in 1996.
The bank registered a case against Saikia in 1998 for non-repayment. The case was later transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Kolkata office the same year.
In his bail plea, Ashok Sakia said in 2015, the dues were settled.
The Congress blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for foisting fake and fabricated cases. “Despite Saikia clearing all pending dues with the bank in 2015, he was arrested on Sunday. This is a clear indication of the government using the country’s top investigating agency to further its political ends. They are doing this because of Debabrata Saikia’s refusal to switch over to BJP despite inducements and threats,” said state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress blamed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for foisting fake and fabricated cases. “Despite Saikia clearing all pending dues with the bank in 2015, he was arrested on Sunday. This is a clear indication of the government using the country’s top investigating agency to further its political ends. They are doing this because of Debabrata Saikia’s refusal to switch over to BJP despite inducements and threats,” said state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah.
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