Congress Chief accuses Assam Police of protecting fugitives amid trading fraud scandal

Assam Police's ongoing efforts to track down absconding suspects in the high-profile trading fraud case have proven futile, according to state Congress chief Bhupen Borah. At a press conference on Friday, Borah criticized the police's inability to apprehend key figures such as Sumi Borah and her husband, Tarkik Borah, while accusing Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of using diversion tactics to shield individuals linked to the scandal.

Borah alleged that the chief minister tends to divert attention whenever allegations of corruption involving his associates come up. "Whenever reports emerge about corruption linked with the chief minister's family, he diverts media attention elsewhere," Borah said. "I can furnish several examples of this trend."

The Congress leader read out the list of other high-profile fugitives who remain out of bounds for the police: Rajeev Paul, accused of masterminding the APSC scam; Mridupawan Neog, on the run since 2022; Dipankar Barman, an accused in a Rs 7,000 crore financial fraud; Sunil Gogoi, the Jal Jeevan Mission contractor who is missing since June.

Borah further said that there were photographs of Sumi Borah with Chief Minister Sarma himself, one showing the chief minister receiving a cheque of Rs 1 crore. "He has such connections; therefore, arresting Sumi Borah and others named on my list will be tough and it may create big problems," added Borah.