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Suspended Assam civil service officer arrested in connection with MPLAD scam
A suspended Assam Civil Service officer has been arrested in connection with an alleged Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) financial scam in Silchar. The officer, Sukanya Borah, was suspended last year for her alleged involvement in irregularities in projects funded by the MPLAD. Other officers, including a retired Public Works Department engineer and a Deputy Conservator of Forests, have also been arrested in connection with the same scam.
Silchar: The chief minister’s Special Vigilance Cell (SVC) on Thursday arrested a suspended Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer in connection with an alleged Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) financial scam, officials aware of the matter said.
The officer, identified as Sukanya Borah, was arrested after five rounds of interrogations, which started in March last year, said officials.
Borah, 34, was suspended in March last year for her alleged involvement in suspected irregularities in carrying out projects funded by the MPLAD.
In May last year, Borah appealed to the Gauhati High Court for anticipatory bail in connection with the case which was turned down.
The scam involved misappropriation of funds from Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan’s MPLAD fund.
During the investigation, the vigilance cell found that Borah approved payment for road construction in Barpeta before the completion of the work, officials said.
The vigilance team also found that Borah’s wealth increased abnormally and she bought properties in the name of her family members in Guwahati, Morigaon, Hajo, and North Guwahati, among others.
Apart from Borah, other officers, including retired Public Works Department engineer Samed Ali and Deputy Conservator of Forests Bhaskar Deka were also arrested by the special vigilance cell for their alleged connections with the same MPLAD scam.
Officials aware of the matter said all the arrested persons are being interrogated by the special cell. They were arrested as they were not cooperating with the vigilance cell, an official said.
