Four held as police seize 10L Congress leaflets targeting BJP govt, Assam CM

Guwahati, March 9: Four youths were arrested in Guwahati on Monday after nearly 10 lakh printed leaflets containing allegations against the ruling BJP-led NDA government and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma were seized from a vehicle amid the ongoing political campaigns ahead of the Assembly elections.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Rekibul Haque, Joynal Abedin, Akshay Kumar Bordoloi and Pranjit Patar.

Police said a case (No. 135/26) has been registered at Dispur Police Station under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 61(2), 152, 175, 196, 197 and 353.

According to police, the seizure followed a late-night alert about a dispute involving a truck inside a housing society in Rukmininagar area of the city.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Tabu Ram Pegu said the recovery was made during routine patrolling and an investigation has been launched to determine the source and intended distribution of the printed materials.

“When the vehicle was checked, a huge quantity of printed leaflets, around 10 lakh, was discovered. The materials contained allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and were meant for large-scale distribution. Considering the sensitive time ahead of elections and possible law-and-order ramifications, we registered a case and started an investigation,” Pegu said.

He added that investigators are trying to ascertain where the pamphlets were printed, who financed them and how they were planned to be distributed.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) visited Dispur Police Station and alleged that the police action was politically motivated.

Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur said the seized leaflets were newly printed copies of a chargesheet released on February 19 during the recent visit of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to Assam.

“The chargesheet detailing what the BJP government has done and failed to do for the people was released through a press meet when Priyanka Gandhi visited Assam,” Borthakur said.

She said the four youths were transporting printed materials when the police seized them. “Since no election code of conduct has been issued yet, if there was anything wrong in the material it should have been examined by the Election Commission, not the police,” she said.

Borthakur alleged that the seizure was intended to prevent the materials from reaching the public.

“We respect Assam Police but the Chief Minister is running the police administration like a private company,” she said, while demanding the immediate release of the arrested individuals and stating that the party would pursue legal action.