Guwahati: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam police probing an extortion case has recovered Rs 64.29 lakh from a hidden suitcase of Bajali superintendent of police (SP) Siddhartha Buragohain, special director general of police (SDGP-administration) Harmeet Singh said on Friday.
The case pertains to the alleged extortion of Rs 2.5 crore from businessman Rabiul Islam by a team of police officers led by SP Buragohain.
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Singh said the CID team had conducted raids at the residences of Buragohain and other accused and recovered the cash.
The CID team also recovered 23 blank cheques signed by Islam’s mother, two laptops and some incriminating documents from Buragohain’s residence.
Ten people, including Buragohain, have been arrested in the case so far. They are Gayatri Sonowal, then additional SP (ASP) of Bajali, Puskal Gogoi, DSP (HQ), Bajali, Anup Jyoti Patiri, OC, Patacharkuchi PS, Debajit Giri, SI (P), Bhawanipur OP under Patacharkuchi PS, Sasanka Das, ASI of Patacharkuchi PS, Injamamul Hassan, PSO of Gayatri Sonowal, Deepjoy Roy, driver to SP Bajali and Nabir Ahmed, part-time driver of SP, Bajali.
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“The case is under investigation. All forensic, material and circumstantial evidence are being brought together to ensure a foolproof case,” Singh said.
The case was registered on August 31 after Islam filed a complaint with the CID alleging that he was extorted by the police officers.
Islam had alleged that the police officers raided his residence on August 9 in search of a consignment of narcotic drugs, but did not find anything. He was then taken to the Bhawanipur police station and allegedly subjected to physical harassment.
The police officers then allegedly demanded Rs 2.5 crore from Islam, of which he paid Rs 10 lakh in cash. The rest of the amount was to be paid in the form of cheques, which Islam had given to the police officers.
The CID team is also investigating the role of a former police officer who allegedly provided information about Islam to the accused.