Assam: Suspended ACS officer Sukanya Borah arrested in MPLAD scam

Suspended Assam Civil Servant officer Sukanya Borah was arrested on January 18 in relation to the Assam MPLAD scam. Following an extensive interrogation by the Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell, she was taken into custody for allegedly accumulating properties disproportionate to her income.

It was previously reported by her aunt that Borah had amassed this property by falsely declaring her mother as mentally unstable. Borah is known to own significant property across several locations in Assam. She was suspended in March 2023 for suspected irregularities in projects funded by the MPLAD fund.

Her anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Gauhati High Court in May. In addition to Borah, retired PWD engineer Samed Ali and Deputy Conservator of Forests Bhaskar Deka were also arrested. Reports suggest they were not cooperating during interrogation.

The scam involved misappropriation of funds from Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan’s MPLAD fund, assigned for a road construction project in Barpeta, Assam. An investigation revealed that payment was made before 75 percent of the work was completed, with four suspended officers approving the premature payment.

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