Guwahati: The fraudulent stock market investment scam involving prime accused Bishal Phukan and Swapnanil Das has taken a significant turn with the names of several prominent Assam actors, singers, and YouTubers surfacing in the investigation.
Police on Tuesday arrested Phukan, 22, from Dibrugarh, and Das from Guwahati for allegedly enticing investors with promises of a 30 percent return on their investments within 60 days. Phukan, who allegedly used his luxurious lifestyle to lure investors, had established four fake companies, invested in Assamese cinema, and acquired several properties as part of the scheme.
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Police sources revealed that Phukan had close connections with several prominent figures in the Assamese entertainment industry, including actors Jatin Bora, Prastuti Parashar, singers Dikshu, Deeplina Deka, Geetali Devi, Mantumoni Saikia, and filmmaker Adityam Saikia.
Phukan allegedly invested in filmmaker Adityam Kashyap Saikia’s film “The Black Umbrella” and actor Jatin Bora’s film “Raghab.” He also reportedly invested in Prastuti Parashar’s “Awabahan Theatre.” Despite attempts, actors Bora and Parashar were not available for comments.
Additionally, Phukan allegedly gifted a lavish car to singer Dikshu, who attended the highly publicized destination wedding of Sumi and Tarkik Bora, allegedly sponsored by Bishal Phukan. Sumi and her husband sought refuge at Dikshu’s residence after police launched a search for them in connection with the scam.
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Singer Gitali Devi allegedly helped Sumi and her husband evade arrest by dropping them at an undisclosed location. However, Devi has denied these allegations.
Singer Deeplina Deka not only attended Sumi Bora’s destination wedding but also launched Bishal Phukan’s shopping website “Panta” in April 2021. She also contributed to Sumi’s Bora’s wedding songs.
The names of at least three YouTubers have also been implicated in the scam for promoting Phukan and Das.
An archive of the video can be found here:
YouTuber Bhaskar Dutta promoted Swapanil Das’s illegal stock trading institute, while Aboyob Bhuyan interviewed Das on his channel “Untold“. Journalist-turned-Youtuber Chakarapani Parashar attended the launch of Parcelia, a company promoted by Bishal Phukan, and covered the event extensively on his platform “Bartalap.
Is Police Helping Sumi Bora Evade Arrest?
The police are also searching for Sumi Borah, who allegedly played a key role in Phukan’s network. Sources claimed that Sumi acted as a middleman between investors and Phukan, receiving expensive gifts and benefits in return.
Despite police issuing summons to Sumi and her husband, they have not appeared before the cops. Reports suggest that Sumi is in Guwahati and constantly changing her location to evade arrest.
However, questions have arisen about the police’s inability to arrest her for several days. Social media users have expressed concerns about potential political pressure influencing the police’s actions, given Sumi’s alleged connections with influential political leaders.