GUWAHATI, Sept 28 - Assam Police on Monday announced Rs 1 lakh cash award each for anyone providing whereabouts about absconding former DIG PK Dutta and BJP leader Diban Deka � the two prime accused in the SI (Unarmed Branch) recruitment examination question paper leak case. Police has sent out a lookout notice against the two persons to every state so that they cannot flee out of the country. �Police is also keeping a strict eye on the India-Nepal border, as PK Dutta�s son-in-law resides in that country,� DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta told a press conference here.
As per information acquired by police in the course of investigation till date, Dutta is the prime accused in the scam as the chain through which the question paper was distributed via WhatsApp before the examination led to his mobile phone from where it originated. Interestingly, another accused Diban Deka absconded after facing interrogation at the CID headquarters here.
The DGP said that during the day of interrogation, CID had no evidence against Deka to arrest him. �Deka�s involvement in the scam came to light after the search operation carried out by the crime branch of Guwahati police at Thank You Lodge located at Ganeshguri here,� he said.
According to police, Deka had distributed the question paper among some candidates before the examination and a long list of candidates who got the paper has already come to light. Police is also investigation the link between PK Dutta and Diban Deka.
IGP (CID) Surendra Kumar said that from the residence and hotels of PK Dutta, CID seized a number of incriminating documents related to the scam.
From Hotel Bhargav, located at Lokhra, CID seized a half burnt flex banner (of the coaching centre), five money receipts, 445 blank admission forms for coaching and a draft of advertisement for SI recruitment examination coaching, written both in Assamese and English languages.
Dutta used to run a coaching centre for aspirant candidates who were charged a fee Rs 10,000. The candidates were assured jobs, but were told that they would have to clear the physical tests on their own. The �coaching centre� took the responsibility of the aspirants clearing the written examination.
From Hotel Bhargav Grand, located at Betkuchi, CID seized Rs 5.5 lakh in cash as the manager of the hotel failed to provide satisfactory explanation about the source of the money. From the same premises, CID seized some guest registration cards too.
According to Surendra Kumar, on September 19, a number of candidates of the examination checked into the hotel and on the September 20 morning, they checked out. He said investigation is on to find out from where those candidates came and what they did on the day of examination.
From the residence of PK Dutta located in the city, CID seized 1.522 kg gold ornaments, some cash, one .32 pistol and four rounds of live ammunition along with one e-admit card of the examination and one notebook having names of some candidates of the said examination. Kumar said the licence of the pistol had expired in March 23, 2020.
ADGP (Law and Order) GP Singh said investigation is under way to make an assessment of the properties of Dutta. As per information available with police till date, along with Guwahati, Dutta also has properties in Cachar district as also in Dibrugarh and Mumbai. Dutta, who had joined the police service in 1992, procured all the properties during his service days.
Police will submit details of Dutta�s property to the State government so that the vigilance and anti-corruption branch of Assam Police could register a case. Moreover, police will also share the details of his property with the Income Tax department, Enforcement Directorate and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence so that the agencies can also launch separate investigations.
Nalbari Correspondent adds: Kumud Goswami of Makhibaha in Nalbari district, who is said to be a close aide of PK Dutta, today surrendered before police at Tihu. He was later handed over to the CID.
Goswami reportedly collected huge sums of money from a section of job aspirants and facilitated them to receive the question papers at Thank You Lodge of Guwahati.
