GUWAHATI, July 29 - Former director of the social welfare department Dilip Barthakur was today produced before the Court of Special Judge, Assam after he was arrested by the anti-corruption and vigilance wing of Assam Police on Friday in connection with the multi-crore-rupee scam in the department.
The investigating agency, which had already filed a chargesheet in connection with the case naming several government officials as accused and at the same time declaring Barthakur and a few others as absconders, claimed that the scam, relating to supply of sewing machines and depriving genuine beneficiaries of several government schemes, took place during the tenure of the former director.
Advocate Bijon Kumar Mahajan, who moved the bail petition on behalf of Barthakur, contended that even though the investigating agency had declared the former director as an absconder, the court, however, was yet to form an opinion in this regard and the arrest therefore should have been preceded by an arrest warrant issued by the court in question.
Defence also argued against the remand of the accused to judicial custody as a chargesheet has been submitted and hence cannot be remanded to custody as cognizance has not been taken as yet.
The court after hearing both the defence and the prosecution fixed August 8 as the date for hearing of the bail petition and also on the technical matter. Till then Barthakur has been remanded to judicial custody.
