Guwahati: Around 330 people suspected of fraud, impersonation, extortion and acting as intermediaries in police cases have been detained by Assam Police in an operation carried out across the state.
The statewide operation began around 3 am on Saturday. It was still in progress when DGP Harmeet Singh spoke to reporters at the police headquarters in Guwahati.
Before the operation, police had gathered information on suspects accused of deceiving the public, posing as law enforcement or government officials and using threats to obtain money.
Singh said some of the suspects were also allegedly contacting people facing police cases and offering to resolve those cases in return for payment.
Technical information from mobile phones and digital communication platforms was used by police teams to identify and locate a number of the suspects.
According to the DGP, the investigation has also revealed indications of organised groups involved in such activities in Assam. Some of the detained individuals allegedly introduced themselves as lawyers, while others claimed to be police officers or government officials.
Singh said there were instances in which suspects used the identities of government departments and officials to win people’s trust before taking money from them.
Police are examining allegations that some individuals demanded money from people and tried to discourage them from visiting police stations by claiming they could get their cases settled.
Singh said the action against each detained person would depend on the allegations and evidence in the case.
Police continued their operation in several districts on Saturday, while teams carried out verification and initiated the necessary legal procedures. A complete breakdown of the detentions by district will be available after the operation ends.