Gaurav Gogoi demands PM Modi's intervention in Assam bank 'scandal'

Assam MP Gaurav Gogoi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising concerns over the Assam State Co-operative Apex Banka case and the controversial arrest of Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar. 

The incident, which took place on March 25, has sparked outrage and raised critical questions about the functioning of the bank, misuse of legal provisions, and the suppression of press freedom in Assam.

In a letter to PM Modi, MP Gaurav Gogoi called for an independent inquiry into the operations of the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank, including a financial audit and governance review. He also urged for a full investigation into the misuse of police powers in the arbitrary arrest of Dilwar, to ensure accountability and protect press freedom. 

He informed that Mazumdar, a journalist with The Cross Current, was covering a protest outside the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank, a financial institution where Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma serves as Director and BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan is the Chairman. 

"When seeking a byte from the bank's Managing Director, Shri Dombru Saikia, the journalist was invited inside the premises. However, what followed was deeply alarming-he was subsequently detained by the Pan Bazar Police Station without justification," the MP stated in his letter. 

He further informed that the journalist was accused of caste-based abuse, "which were debunked when the Magistrate found no evidence of such allegations in the informant's statement."

Highlighting that the actions indicate an attempt to silence a journalist reporting on alleged irregularities, Gogoi said, "Despite being granted bail, he was re-arrested the next day under exaggerated charges of robbery and trespassing into the bank to steal confidential documents."

He also cited media reports which have drawn attention to troubling allegations against the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank, including claims that it has been operating without a formal contract with an IT vendor since June 2024. 

"Banking infrastructure costs allegedly surged from 28 crores in 2018 to nearly Rs 50 crores in 2025, with 14 crores allegedly funnelled to KPMG under suspicious circumstances. A complaint was reportedly submitted to the Central Vigilance Commission on January 30, but the state government has remained unresponsive," the letter read.

In response to growing criticism, the Assam government’s Cooperation Department instructed the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to investigate the allegations and submit a report by March 18, 2025. However, many protestors have dismissed this as a mere formality, alleging that the government is shielding those involved.

Gogoi emphasised the need to prevent the wrongful targeting of journalists who report on matters of public interest, asserting that this issue affects the very core of democracy—transparency in financial institutions and the protection of constitutional rights.

“The immediate intervention of the concerned authorities is crucial to ensure justice, restore public trust in our institutions, and uphold the fundamental rights of journalists and citizens,” Gogoi said in his letter.