‘Unfounded accusations’: Assam CM’s wife refutes reports of PPE kits scam
Riniki Bhuyan Sarma was responding to a news report published by a web portal that alleged based on RTI replies that emergency medical supply orders during the Covid-19 pandemic were given to four firms, of which three were linked to her
GUWAHATI: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma on Wednesday outrightly refuted allegations of malpractice by a firm owned by her in the supply of PPE kits during the Covid-19 pandemic, calling the accusations “unfounded”.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (extreme right) with his wife Riniki Bhuyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Twitter photo)
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She was responding to a news report published by The Wire, which in collaboration with Guwahati-based website The Cross Current, that alleged based on RTI replies that emergency medical supply orders during the Covid-19 pandemic were given to four firms, of which three were linked to Bhuyan, and the Assam CM family’s business associates.
The report claimed that an order of 5,000 PPE kits was placed with JCB Industries, owned by Bhuyan. Despite no history of procuring medical supplies, the company was given the order by National Health Mission-Assam without following tendering process, the report claimed said. CM Sarma was the state health minister at that time.
“A website called The Wire has come out with an unfounded accusation with regard to my supply of PPE kits to the NHM,” Bhuyan said in an official statement posted on Twitter.
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She said that in the first week of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, “not a single PPE kit was available in Assam”. Taking cognisance of it, she reached out to a business acquaintance and delivered around 1,500 PPE kits to NHM-Assam “with a lot of effort”.
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She said that in the first week of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, “not a single PPE kit was available in Assam”. Taking cognisance of it, she reached out to a business acquaintance and delivered around 1,500 PPE kits to NHM-Assam “with a lot of effort”.
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“I wrote to NHM to treat the same as part of my corporate social responsibility. I did not take a single penny out of this supply. I have always been transparent in my belief of giving back to the society, irrespective of my husband’s political standing,” her statement read.
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To back her claims, she also attached a letter of appreciation issued to JCB Industries by NHM-Assam mission director S Lakshmanan on 27 March 2020, in which he extended his “heartfelt gratitude” for the supply of 1,485 PPE kits.
“My organisation has also supported the NHM in the fight against Covid-19 by donating to the Aarogya Nidhi... I will always stay firm in my belief to serve the country,” she wrote.
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.
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