BJP leader and one of the prime accused in Assam police SI recruitment scam, Diban Deka, has been sent five-day police custody.
Deka was arrested from Patacharkuchi in newly created Bajali district of Lower Assam late at night on Wednesday for his alleged involvement in a paper leak scam related to a written examination to recruit 587 police sub-inspectors (S-Is).
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The court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Kamrup (M) sent Deka to five-day custody.
43-year-old Deka, along with former DIG PK Dutta, had been absconding since the scam came to light.
He was brought to Guwahati for further interrogation from Patacharkuchi last night and produced before the CJM’s court.
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Although the CID sought seven-day custody, the court granted five day police remand.
Deka, who had unsuccessfully contested Assembly election on BJP ticket from the Barkhetri assembly seat in Assam’s Nalbari district in 2011, has been suffering from gastric ulcer.
Examination to recruit unarmed sub-inspectors was cancelled on September 20, minutes after it began, as the question paper was found to have been leaked on social media.
Over 20 people have been arrested so far in connection with the scam.
Police had issued look out notices and announced an award of Rs one lakh each for any information which could lead to the arrest of Deka and Dutta.
The former DIG is yet to be traced and it is suspected that he was holed up somewhere near the India-Nepal border.
Deka was questioned by the CID after the scam had surfaced, but was allowed to go as there was “no circumstantial evidence against him”.