Assam Police arrest prime accused in corruption case

The Assam Police on Monday arrested Gautam Baruah, the alleged prime accused in a corruption case, in Delhi.

Baruah, who held the position of the officiating chairman of Assam Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Guwahati (ABOCWWB) from 2011 to 2017, was absconding and evading arrest in connection with the said case.

The case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Tapan Sarma, IAS, the then Labour Commissioner Cum Member Secretary of ABOCWWB about the forgery and large scale misappropriation of board funds, by his predecessor Member Secretary and Chairman.

"On the basis of an inquiry conducted in CMs Special Vigilance Cell in 2017, a case was registered under section 120(B)/406/409/468/471/420 of IPC R/W Sec 13(2) of PC Act of 1988 under the Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell, Assam," a press note said.

During the investigation, it has been established that the criminal conspiracy resulted in misappropriation of the funds of more than Rs 121 crore, from the fund accumulated through the collection of cess of the ABOCWWB in the bank account.

"Accordingly, the accused Chohan Doley, IAS, Nagendra Nath Choudhury, and Priyangshu Boiragi, were arrested in 2017 and a charge sheet was filed for their involvement in the crime in the year 2018. However, the chairman of the ABOCWWB, Gautam Baruah was absconding and evading arrest since 2017," it said.

The accused shall be produced before a local court in New Delhi tomorrow, for seeking transit remand to bring him to Guwahati.