GUWAHATI, Oct 6 - PK Dutta, former DIG of Assam Police and one of the prime accused in the Sub Inspector recruitment scam, was arrested by West Bengal Police on Tuesday morning, and he is likely to be brought to Guwahati later at night by a team of Assam Police, which was camping along the Indo-Nepal border. Dutta, who was absconding for the last two weeks, was arrested on Tuesday morning somewhere near the Kakarbhitta check-post of the Indo-Nepal border while he was supposedly en route to India.
A senior police official said West Bengal Police arrested Dutta around 10 am on the strength of the lookout notice issued by Assam Police. Dutta was reportedly accompanied by his son and son-in-law, but police have so far refrained from disclosing anything about their detention. However, in all likelihood, police might register a case against many others, including the duo, for harbouring Dutta. On reports that Dutta had volunteered to surrender after he was running out of places to hide, the top brass of Assam Police refuted the claims, terming them concocted theories. Police were also tight-lipped when asked if any external agency was involved in the nabbing of Dutta.
Earlier, Assam Police had announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone providing information on Dutta�s whereabouts.
Immediately after Assam Police confirmed the news of Dutta�s arrest, sources said West Bengal Police will first produce Dutta at a court in Siliguri and as per the laid down procedure, Assam Police will be granted his transit remand.
Dutta�s involvement in the scam came to light after the CID questioned Hirakjyoti Barua, a candidate in the SI examination.
On September 23, the CID first raided the Guwahati-based residence and hotels of the former cop. Assam Police had claimed that Dutta fled the State just after the scam came to light on September 20.
Notably, Dutta�s son-in-law is based in Nepal, and when the scam was unearthed, the former cop fled to the neighbouring country to evade legal action.
Investigators claim that Dutta�s involvement in the scam has been established beyond reasonable doubt, as during investigation it was found that the chain through which the question paper of the SI (Unarmed Branch) recruitment examination got leaked via WhatsApp originated from Dutta�s cell phone.
Already Central law enforcing agencies including the Enforcement Directorate are exploring the scope of registering a case of amassing properties disproportionate to his known source of income.
In another development, one of the prime accused and former BJP leader Diban Deka was remanded to six days� custody of the CID by the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro) on Tuesday evening. He was earlier arrested by the Crime Branch of Guwahati Police and was in its custody for five days.
The CJM�s court also sent Mrinal Kumar Nath and Kakumoni Nath, two candidates of the SI examination, to judicial custody on Tuesday. The CID had arrested them from Changsari area of Kamrup district.
