AASU moves PM seeking CBI probe against 5 Asom ministers

AASU moves PM seeking CBI probe against 5 Asom ministers

By our Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 10: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) has moved Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh demanding CBI inquiry into the allegations against a number of Asom ministers. The students’ body has told the Prime Minister that Asom Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was protecting the ‘‘tainted ministers’’ of his Cabinet. A delegation of the AASU held a meeting with Dr Singh at his official residence in New Delhi yesterday.Talking to newsmen here today, AASU president Sankar Prasad Rai, general secretary Tapan Kumar Gogoi and advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said they demanded of the Prime Minister to ensure CBI inquiry against Asom Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, Water Resources Minister Bharat Narah, Border Area Development Minister Gautam Roy and Power and Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi. The AASU leaders told the Prime Minister that Gogoi’s protective cover on his ‘‘tainted ministers’’ was proved with the arrest of former Education Minister Ripun Bora by the CBI.According to the AASU, while Himanta Biswa Sarma faces allegations of corruption and possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources on income, Rockybul Hussain faces allegations like involvement in the killing of journalist Prahlad Goala for exposing the encroachment of the Kaziranga National Park (KNP) land by people of suspected nationalities, Bharat Narah faces allegations of massive corruption in construction of embankments, Gautam Roy is an accused in the Pratul Deb murder case, and Pradyut Bordoloi faces an allegation of his involvement in the abduction of Prasanna Turung and his wife.The Prime Minister, according to the AASU leaders, said that the arrest of Ripun Bora was unfortunate. He, however, refused to air any comment on the demand for CBI inquiry into the allegations against other ministers of Gogoi’s Cabinet. “I will have to talk to the Asom Chief Minister because recommendations from his Government for any CBI inquiry into the allegations is a must,” the AASU leaders quoted the Prime Minister as telling them.According to the AASU leaders, the Prime Minister also expressed his surprise over the non-implementation of important clauses of the Assam Accord like total sealing of the border with Bangladesh, NRC update etc. “I will seek reports from the Asom Government and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on the implementation of the Assam Accord. Another round of tripartite talks on the Assam Accord will be held soon,” the AASU leaders quoted the Prime Minister as assuring them. During the meet, the AASU leaders termed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi as the ‘‘saviour of Bangladeshis’’ for which detected foreigners do the vanishing act under his administration in the State.

CBI likely to probe Turung case

By our Staff ReporterGUWAHATI, June 10: The Asom Government will take up the case relating to the mysterious disappearance of Tirap Autonomous District Council Demand Committee (TADCDC) leader Prasanna Turung and his wife Kamal Turung with the CBI for investigation. The Turung couple has been missing since April 8, 2007.Talking to newsmen here today, Asom Power and Industries Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has agreed to take up the case with the CBI for investigation. Bordoloi made it to the State Assembly from Margherita LAC from where Turungs hail. It is worth mentioning here that the arrest of former Asom Education Minister Ripun Bora by the CBI has led to demand for CBI inquiry against a number of ministers of the State who have allegations against them. Bordoloi said the NCP has politicized the Turung case with an ulterior motive to show his involvement in the case. “Turung had been fighting elections since 1986 and he never got more than 2,000 votes. So how can he be a rival for me?” Bordoloi questioned, and said: “I myself took up the case with the then Tinsukia SP. The police conducted an investigation and arrested two suspects from Siliguri — Amu and Apu — who are on bail now. I approached the Assam Police on the Turung case as I thought that the State police force was capable enough to handle the case. Since the whereabouts of Turungs couldn’t be ascertained, I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister on June 5 requesting him to hand over the case to the CBI.” He said the Chief Minister assured him of requesting the CBI to take up the case.On the arrest of Ripun Bora, Bordoloi said: “It’s unfortunate. The incident has outraged the image of the party and the Government. We are, however, taking steps to restore the image of the party and the Government through developmental works under the leadership of Tarun Gogoi. Gogoi has already made it a point that criminals have no place in his Council of Ministers.” Source: Sentinel Assam