Assam’s Crime Investigation Department recently raided the residence and two hotels owned by a former Deputy Inspector-General of Police in connection with the leak of a question paper for a test to recruit sub-inspectors.
The CID has also questioned a State BJP leader for his alleged involvement in the leakage that saw 50 candidates appear for the “written test” at a lodge in Guwahati on September 19, a day before the scheduled date of exam.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on September 20 ordered a probe into the leaking of the question paper via social media and asked Director-General of Police Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta to catch the culprits. The Chief Minister sought action against any “vested interest” that conspired to derail the recruitment process.
The test to have been conducted by the State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB) was subsequently cancelled. A fresh date for the written test is yet to be fixed.
“A CID team on Wednesday raided the house and hotels owned by P.K. Dutta, a former DIG, in connection with the question paper leak. But the former officer and members of his family could not be found,” an Assam police spokesperson said on Thursday.
The CID also grilled BJP leader Diban Deka in connection with the case, besides detaining seven others, including four proprietors of the lodge where the examination was held. The lodge is a stone’s throw from the Assam Assembly and Secretariat.
Officials said a total of 50 candidates sat for the written test at the lodge.
The CID recovered a hand-written question paper from the lodge, besides a computer hard disk, blackboard and other items connected with the test.
The recruitment of sub-inspectors against 597 vacant posts was first advertised on November 4, 2018. The SLPRB issued another notice for the test on November 6, 2019.
On Wednesday, the Chief Minister’s Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Cell arrested two police officers in western Assam’s Dhubri district on the basis of complaints lodged by local people.
A team from the cell caught Satyajit Borthakur and Abu Kalam Azad of Gauripur police station red-handed while taking a bribe of ₹1 lakh from one of the complainants.
