GUWAHATI: The suicide of an Assam BJP leader has taken an unexpected turn, revealing a “cash-for-job scam” within the government.
As investigations into the suicide unfold, a senior officer from the Guwahati Police told the press on Sunday that an additional individual was apprehended on Saturday night. With this latest development, the total number of arrests in connection with the case has now reached five.
Among the newly arrested figures is Trishna Sharma, a former joint office secretary of the BJP Kisan Morcha, who had been expelled from the party after the scandal emerged.
Prior to this, the Guwahati Police had apprehended Anurag Chaliha, Diban Deka, Rekhanta Das, and Ashim Chakraborty in connection with the suicide case. Deka, who previously held the position of national executive member in the BJP Kisan Morcha, had been arrested in October 2020 for his suspected involvement in the Assam Police recruitment exam paper leak scam. He was promptly expelled from the party upon his arrest.
Earlier on August 11, Indrani Tahbildar, a prominent figure in the BJP Kisan Morcha, took her own life on August 11 following circulation of her intimate photographs with another BJP member on social media.
Tahbildar had been a key figure in the scandal and had contested Assembly polls as a BJP candidate in 2011. Initially treated as a suicide case, the investigation took a drastic turn after the arrest of Chaliha. His residence yielded numerous admit cards for various government job examinations, triggering suspicions of a larger scam. Additionally, audio recordings of conversations between Tahbildar and her colleagues further illuminated different dimensions of the case.
These five arrested individuals have reportedly named several senior BJP leaders, including a vice-chairman of a corporation who has expressed intent to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. These revelations emerged during interrogation, shedding light on what is being described as “crucial information.”
In response to questions about the alleged involvement of multiple party functionaries, BJP senior spokesperson Rupam Goswami told the local press that the law would follow its course, and the party would not interfere in legal and investigative matters.
