GUWAHATI: In a major development in the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) scam amounting to ₹105 crore, the prime accused, Sewali Devi Sharma, has alleged during interrogation that she was blackmailed by several Right to Information (RTI) activists and journalists.
According to media reports, Sharma claimed that these individuals extorted over ₹2 crore from her.
Upon receiving these serious allegations, the Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell (CM's SVC) summoned the accused activists and journalists named by Sharma for questioning.
In the ongoing investigation, one of the accused RTI activists has been brought to the CM's SVC, where he is currently being interrogated, as per reports.
The vigilance cell has already uncovered evidence against one of the RTI activists demanding money from Sewali Sharma through his mobile phone.
As part of the investigation, two mobile phones and an identity card from a news agency have been seized.
It is to be noted that Sewali Devi Sharma, along with nine others, was remanded in judicial custody on May 20.
Earlier on May 8, the CM's SVC apprehended Sharma and Ajit Paul Singh from the Cross Lane Hotel in Rajasthan's Ajmer during the early hours. Both individuals were fugitives following the exposure of the embezzlement of ₹105 crore funds.
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