Continuing its crackdown into the police job recruitment scam in Assam, a special team of Assam Police along with a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team arrested former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) PK Dutta, one of the prime accused in the Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam. He has been arrested in Nepal. According to reports, the special police team is bringing back the former DIG to Assam. They are expected to reach Guwahati by tonight.
The former DIG, who is said to be the alleged mastermind in the exams question paper leak scandal, had been on the run after the incident came to the fore on September 20. The Assam government cancelled a written exam to recruit 597 sub-inspectors to the police force after the question paper was leaked.
The Assam police, which was is constant pursue to nab the accused in the scam, had informed two days ago that Dutta might be hiding in Nepal.
Retired DIG PK Dutta and his son Ishan were suspected to have fled to Nepal by road after the scam came to light. The former police officer’s daughter is married to a Nepali citizen based in Kathmandu.
On October 3, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam police had arrested two more suspects from Dibrugarh district. Both are linked to DIG (retd) PK Dutta, the prime accused in the case.
BJP leader Diban Deka was expelled from the party
Prior to these arrests, another accused in the case- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Diban Deka, was also arrested after he surrendered before the Assam Police on September 30. Deka along with the retired DIG PK Dutta had allegedly hatched the conspiracy to fleece many candidates for posts of sub-inspectors by assuring them jobs in lieu of cash.
The Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) had expelled Deka from the party after his arrest.
Police had issued a look out notice for both Dutta and Deka and alerted income tax department, enforcement directorate and department of revenue intelligence after unearthing many properties belonging to the police officer.
On September 30, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal, in a strong-worded statement had said that nobody will be spared if found responsible for the Assam Police sub-inspectors (SI) recruitment scam. The Chief Minister had confirmed that the state government has instituted an inquiry into the scam and the investing agency has been asked to conduct the inquiry impartially without any compromise.
The job scam came to light when the SI exams to fill 597 posts had to be canceled within minutes of starting the exam as the question paper was leaked. The exam was held on September 20 and around 66,000 candidates sat for the exam. The exams are now rescheduled to be held on November 22.