GUWAHATI: Four individuals were arrested by the Chief Ministers' Special Vigilance Cell on Tuesday in connection with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) scam, involving a staggering amount of ₹105 crores.
Those arrested include two journalists and two Right To Information Act (RTI) activists.
Their names emerged during the interrogation of Sewali Devi Sharma, the prime suspect in the SCERT scam case.
The journalists are Bhaskarjyoti Hazarika and Pujamoni Das, while the RTI activists are Anup Saikia and Rabijit Gogoi.
Following standard procedure, all four individuals underwent a medical examination and will be held overnight at the Pan Bazar Police Station and All Women Police Station in Pan Bazar.
According to sources familiar with the matter, they are scheduled to appear before the court on Wednesday.
It is worth noting that the CM Vigilance Cell summoned multiple journalists and RTI activists earlier on Tuesday based on allegations made by the prime accused, Sewali Devi Sharma, regarding their involvement in blackmailing her.
During the ongoing investigation, Pujamoni Das, a journalist, was interrogated, and it was discovered that a substantial sum of money had been deposited in her mother's bank account, the police said.
Additionally, the cell questioned Maina Saikia, also known as Anup Saikia, who is closely associated with Rabijit Gogoi.
An RTI activist, Gogoi had previously been summoned to the vigilance cell office.
Incriminating evidence of Gogoi demanding money from Sewali was found on his mobile phone. As a result, the cell seized two mobile phones and an identity card belonging to a news agency from Gogoi.
During previous interrogations, Sewali Devi Sharma claimed several RTI employees and journalists had extorted and blackmailed her. She accused these individuals of unlawfully extracting over ₹2 crores from her.
On May 20, Sewali Devi Sharma and nine others were remanded to judicial custody concerning the SCERT scam.
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