The Crime Branch has apprehended two individuals, including the personal assistant of Assam Minister Jogen Mohan, in connection with a Rs4 crore scam. This development follows the arrest of BJP leader Ashim Kumar Das, who is allegedly at the center of the fraudulent scheme.
The two arrested individuals, Manmath Das (the minister’s personal assistant) and peon Prafulla Deka, were reportedly aiding Ashim by providing entry passes for the Janata Bhawan in Dispur. Sources indicate that they charged between Rs500 and Rs1,000 for each pass.
Manmath and Prafulla allegedly utilized the minister’s seal on the entry passes and supplied Ashim’s gang with essential information regarding the availability of conference halls and the minister’s schedule.
In a confession, Manmath revealed that the gang facilitated out-of-state businessmen in using the conference halls. Although he retired from his position in January this year, his tenure was extended on the minister’s recommendation.
The Crime Branch is seeking a three-day police remand for both Manmath and Prafulla, according to reports.
On September 25, Guwahati Commissioner of Police (CP) Diganta Barah disclosed a major Rs4 crore scam in Assam, centered around fraudulent government contracts. Ashim Kumar Das was arrested for leading the syndicate that defrauded Noida-based Prontastic IT (Pvt) Ltd by issuing fake work orders for government supplies and orchestrating meetings with counterfeit officials.
The Assam Police Crime Branch has since arrested three key suspects and is investigating links to additional scams, including one involving Rs3.77 crore from a Bangalore-based firm.
