Assam's ex-DIG arrested over police recruitment scam

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Former Assam Police DIG Prasanta Kumar Dutta, one of the prime accused in the Assam police recruitment scam, was detained along the India-Nepal border on Tuesday, police said.

"Dutta has been detained on the strength of the Look Out Circular issued by CID Assam. Now, he has been handed over to the West Bengal Police. Assam Police would take him in custody in due course and bring him to Guwahati," a police spokesperson said. Dutta, along with former BJP leader Diban Deka, was absconding since the police recruitment scam came to light on September 20.

Assam Police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh each for providing any information that could lead to their arrest. Deka was arrested soon after he surrendered to the police at Pathacharkuchi in Barpeta district on September 30 night. The state's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party expelled him from the organisation.

So far, 33 people including a few women have been arrested in connection with the paper leak scam. The Chairman of Assam State Level Police Recruitment Board (SLPRB), Pradeep Kumar, quit the post last month citing moral responsibility for the recruitment test paper leak that resulted in the cancellation of the written exam on September 20.

Following the directions of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, the CID and the Crime Branch of Assam Police have been probing the exam paper leak issue. The investigating team has raided various locations, including that of former DIG Dutta. The arrested people include a woman employee of the state irrigation department and one from the Special Task Force of Assam Police.

The investigation is being personally supervised by Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta. On September 20, the SLPRB had cancelled the written test a few minutes after it had started after the question paper was leaked on the social media.

Over 66,000 candidates had appeared in 154 centres in all the 33 districts of the state for the written test for 597 posts of sub-inspectors in Assam Police.

The main opposition Congress is agitating on the issue and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after alleging that his office was involved in the police recruitment question paper leak scam.

Assam's Pradesh Congress President Ripun Bora and opposition leader Debabrata Saikia said that the party has been holding protests in all the 33 districts across the state.

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