Assam: BJP leader arrested in Digboi for alleged 'cash for job' scam"

DIGBOI: An Assam police team busted an alleged network involved in a 'cash for job' scam in Tinsukia, Assam and arrested a woman who happens to be a local BJP leader.

The key accused, Suparna Dutta Gogoi, a BJP leader from Digboi, was arrested by the Digboi police on Wednesday.

According to allegations, Gogoi, who has high-level connections and networking individuals, including BJP MPs and MLAs, has been cheating people from various locations in Upper Assam by demanding cash in exchange for jobs in government and private sectors.

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Man Singh, a complainant, alleged that Gogoi demanded Rs 1,23,000 from him and received the payment in instalments for a contractual job at AOD Digboi in July 2024.

Police sources stated that Gogoi has been involved in the 'cash for job' scam for several years, duping multiple individuals on the pretext of providing jobs.

A similar complaint was lodged earlier, but the case didn't progress due to political interference.

Ironically, a former official of the Digboi Police Station disclosed, on the condition of anonymity, that whenever the police tried to investigate the case, there was undue political interference.

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Gogoi was expelled from the Digboi BJP Mandal months ago following complaints against her, according to an office bearer of the Digboi BJP Mandal.

The OC of the Digboi police station stated that the investigation is ongoing following a formal complaint.

He stated that the police are investigating all aspects of the case, and "the law would take its own course, whoever the accused person may be."

The accused will be sought for police remand on Thursday for an effective and thorough investigation to unearth the nexus, if any, in the scam.

The police interrogation will reveal if any political figure backed or promoted Gogoi to run the scam.

Gogoi is being prosecuted under case no. 107/24, U/S 316(2)/318(4)/308(2)/351(2) of BNS 2023.