Rs 92 lakh, ornaments worth Rs 1.5 crore recovered from govt officer's residence in Assam

An Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer, arrested for allegedly possessing wealth disproportionate to her income, had amassed assets 400 times more than her known sources of income, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.

He said penal measures beyond suspension or dismissal from the job are being pursued to ensure that the officer is held accountable as per law.

ACS officer Nupur Bora was arrested by the CM's Special Vigilance Cell after searches at her residences led to the recovery of over Rs 92.50 lakh in cash and ornaments worth nearly Rs 1.5 crore on Monday.

Bora was posted as Circle Officer in Goraimari in Kamrup district at the time of her arrest.

“She had amassed wealth 400 times more than her known sources of income. We think that not just suspension or dismissal from the job would suffice. We have to ensure penal measures through the legal process,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Baksa district.

Several others were also involved, and they are being questioned, the chief minister said.

“It is my request to the public to be vigilant and inform us if any official asks for bribes,” he added.

Sarma said Bora had been under survelliance for the last six months when she had authorised an illegal land transfer deal while posted as Circle Officer in Barpeta, for which she was shifted out of the district later.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, CM's Special Vigilance Cell, Rosie Kalita, said in Guwahati that Borah has been arrested on the basis of a preliminary inquiry.

“We had searched her flat in Guwahati and a rented accommodation in Barpeta, recovering over Rs 92.50 lakh in cash. It is the largest amount of cash recovered by our cell so far,” she said.

Kalita said the arrested officer has two plots and three flats in her name in Guwahati, besides the recovered cash and jewellery.

“These are all preliminary findings. Investigations are ongoing,” the SSP added.