Assam: CBI court sentences 5 to 3, 2 years in jail for embezzlement

Guwahati: The CBI designated court in Guwahati has sentenced five persons, including two former Assam government officials, to two and three years in prison, and a fine of Rs 1.6 lakh, for misappropriation of government funds.

The Special Judge for Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cases sentenced the five accused - M Rahman, the then manager of duck breeding farm in Karbi Anglong district’s Phuloni, BN Chakraborty, the then upper division assistant (UDA) of animal husbandry and veterinary department, and three others Jayanta Sharma, TK Das and Pranab Saikia - to imprisonment up to three years and a fine of Rs 1.6 lakh in a case related to fraudulent withdrawal of government funds.

Rahman has been sentenced to two years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 35,000, Chakraborty to three years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 25,000, Sharma to three years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 40,000, Das to three years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 50,000 and Saikia to 1.5 years imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000. 

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The CBI had reregistered the case, 4/93 dated July 23, 1993, on May 17, 1994 after taking it over from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).

In the FIR, it was alleged that T Buragohain, the then additional director of animal husbandry and veterinary department (hills) Haflong, was entrusted as head of the department for implementation of development works of hill areas in Assam.

Buragohain was subsequently authorised to purchase materials that are officially made through the central stores department or through a duly constituted purchase board.

Taking advantage of it, Buragohain allegedly conspired with several government officials and contractors, and passed fake bills amounting to Rs 1,74,86,827 withdrawing it from the state treasury during FY 1991-92.

During the trial, some of the accused, including Buragohain, died.