Assam Police busts plot to kill state health minister

Guwahati: The Assam police on Friday arrested two health department employees who were found to have been sending SMS from their mobile to former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, APCC chief Ripun Bora and former Cabinet minister Rockybul Hussain demanding Rs 5 crore to kill Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a public meeting.

Assam director General of Police Mukesh Shahay said, “We have arrested two individuals—Faqruddin Ali and Pawan Ali who were sending SMSes to some people asking for money.”

Pointing out that the investigation was at a very nascent stage, Mr Shahay said that investigation would bust the conspiracy. “We have just now succeeded in tracking down the accused. Let the police complete the interrogation,” said the DGP.

Reacting to the incident Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he knows the duo as they worked for the Congress party and hails from his assembly constituency. “They are known to me. They worked for the party when I was in the Congress party,” said Mr Sarma adding, “It is surprising that they had the mobile number of former chief minister Tarun Gogoi. While in the Congress party, we contacted the then chief minister through his secretary only. We did not know if Mr Gogoi was using a mobile. It is a matter of investigation as to how the accused got the mobile number of former chief minister.”

Former minister and senior Congress leader Rockybul Hussain however told this newspaper that he was in New Delhi on Monday when got an SMS from an unknown number. “The SMS asked me to arrange Rs 5 crore to kill Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Soon after getting the SMS, I called up the Assam DGP Mr Shahay and informed him about the SMS. He advised me to file an FIR with police,” said Mr Hussain adding that accordingly he filed the FIR basing which police have arrested the two persons. “I have asked the police chief to carry out thorough investigation,” said Mr Hussain while condemning the incident.