Scammer held in Assam for targetting student scholarship recipients

Lakhimpur police have apprehended a suspect accused of attempting to defraud students who were awarded scooters under the Banikanta Kakoti Scooty Award scheme.

The individual allegedly sought to extort money from beneficiaries by demanding false registration and insurance fees.

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu addressed the incident, emphasising that the scooter award programme is completely free of charge. "I want to clarify that the Scooty Award scheme is entirely free, with no charges or fees involved," he stated.

He urged students to remain vigilant and ignore communication from unknown sources regarding the scheme. "Avoid responding to calls or messages from unknown sources," he said.

The minister also encouraged recipients to report any suspicious requests for payment to the Assam Police immediately. 

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine if other individuals were involved in the fraudulent operation.