Assam government canceled police exam after paper leak (performance)
Guwahati:
Ahead of next year’s assembly elections in Assam, the main opposition party Congress has started to corner the ruling BJP-led government over the review paper leak scam Assam’s deputy police inspector, which has rocked the state for the past 10 days. Congress held protests in the state capital, Dispur, on Wednesday, and top congressional leaders wrote to the governor of Assam and the Union home minister about it.
Congress held a procession from the Manabendra Sarma complex in Dispur to the Assam Secretariat on Wednesday. The head of state congress and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora have called for a high-level judicial inquiry to investigate the matter. Mr Bora said the paper leak must be investigated by the High Court in Gauhati. Some 400 members of Congress were arrested by police and then released.
Last week, Assam police issued a vigilance notice against Diban Deka, a BJP head of state who also contested the 2011 assembly election, and former deputy inspector general PK Dutta in relation with the leak of the question paper.
The review was scheduled to take place on September 20, but was canceled minutes after it began when it was realized that the article had been leaked on social media.
More than 20 people have been arrested so far, but Deka and PK Dutta, for whom police say are the main defendants, are still at large. Assam DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information on the whereabouts of the two men.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday that once the findings of the investigation are released, all aspects of the scam would come to light. He said the investigation ordered into the scam was not the result of any complaints. Within 15 minutes of the reported leak of questions, the state government canceled the exam.
Assembly opposition leader Debabrata Saikia wrote to Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi, requesting an immediate investigation by a high court judge in Gauhati to probe all aspects of the scam .
Assam congressman and deputy party leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi wrote to Home Secretary Amit Shah asking for a CBI investigation.
