Guwahati CBI court sentences 5, including senior officials in Rs 1.74 crore government fund fraud

A special CBI court in Guwahati on Wednesday, October 30 sentenced five individuals, including senior government officials, to prison for their involvement in a fraud case involving the misappropriation of government funds totaling Rs 1.74 crore.

The sentences, issued by the Special Judge for CBI cases, highlight the judiciary’s resolve in holding public servants accountable and combating corrupt practices. Among the convicted, M. Rahman, the former Manager of the Duck Breeding Farm in Phuroni, was sentenced to two years in prison with a fine of Rs 35,000, while B.N. Chakraborty, a former Upper Division Assistant in the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department, received a three-year rigorous imprisonment term and a fine of Rs 25,000.

Three private individuals involved in the scheme—Jayanta Sharma, T.K. Das, and Pranab Saikia—were handed down sentences ranging from 1.5 to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment, accompanied by fines of Rs 40,000, Rs 50,000, and Rs 10,000, respectively. The court emphasized that the fraudulent actions of these individuals have not only drained public resources but have also inflicted lasting damage on public trust in government institutions.

The case traces back to a CBI investigation that was re-registered on May 17, 1994, after an initial FIR was filed on July 23, 1993. The inquiry exposed a conspiracy led by Dr. T. Buragohain, then Additional Director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department (Hills), alongside public servants and accomplices in private capacities. Together, they prepared and approved fictitious bills amounting to Rs 1.74 crore during the 1991-92 fiscal year, facilitating extensive and unauthorized treasury withdrawals.

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