Two people have been arrested by the Assam Police for allegedly conspiring to murder BJP minister and President of the Badminton Association of India, Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The accused, identified as Fakruddin Ali and Pawan Ali, are fourth grade employees in the state health department. The accused allegedly sent messages to several former Congress ministers via SMS to demand Rs 5 crore to kill Sarma, Hindustan Times reported.
Himanta Biswa Sarma was a minister in the previous Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government before joining BJP in 2015. He holds the finance, tourism, education and health portfolios in the state.
Nabaneet Mahanta, additional superintendent of police, Kamrup (Rural) told the daily: “Based on information from reliable source, we nabbed the duo and seized a mobile phone from which they had sent four similar SMSes to different persons seeking money to kill Sarma”.
According to the report, the messages were allegedly sent to mobile numbers registered in the names of former CM Tarun Gogoi, former minister Rockybul Hussain, Congress leader Dulu Ahmed and state Congress chief Ripun Bora.
The accused were arrested on 5 December and were remanded to two days police custody before being produced in a local court on 7 December. They were further remanded them to 14 days of judicial custody.
Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Sahay told IANS that police are questioning the duo to ascertain the motive behind the circulation of the SMS. He said the duo had sent the text SMS to a few politicians, among others.
“I got an objectionable message a few days back while I was in Delhi. I immediately talked to the Assam Police DGP about it and forwarded the SMS to him. Based on my intimation, the police conducted investigations and arrested the two people,” Former minister Rockybul Hussain told HT.
Ripun Bora, Congress president for Assam, hasn't been available for comment yet.
Cases have been registered against the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication, etc.
When asked to comment on alleged conspiracy, Sarma said: “The two were Congress workers when I was in Congress and were still there when i joined BJP. I don’t know any other details, also not aware if the mobile or the number was Tarun Gogoi’s. I don’t know how did those two got his phone or number. This will be taken care of by the police and I do not have anything to comment on it. Police will see to it, he added.
“The two men were arrested from Hajo in connection with SMS being circulated to kill Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The investigation is on to know the motive behind this”, Mukesh Sahay, Assam DGP told reporters.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times, IANS and ANI)
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