Assam: Journalist detained after questioning bank official about alleged financial irregularities

The Assam Police on Tuesday detained a journalist after a protest by Jatiya Yuva Shakti, the youth wing of the Assam Jatiya Parishad, against alleged financial irregularities in the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Limited, reported PTI.

Dilwar Hussain Mozumdar, a journalist with digital news outlet The CrossCurrent, had questioned the bank’s managing director, Dambaru Saikia, about the alleged financial mismanagement.

“Strangely, as he was leaving the bank, Mozumder got a call from the Pan Bazar police station, asking him to report at once,” Arup Kalita, editor of The CrossCurrent, told The Wire. “Upon reaching there, he was detained.”

No reason has been provided for Mozumdar’s detention yet, according to PTI.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the director of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Limited and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Biswajit Phukan is its chairperson, according to The Wire.

The Jatiya Yuva Shakti had organised a protest in front of the bank’s headquarters at Pan Bazar in Guwahati to demand a high-level inquiry and action against those responsible for the alleged financial mismanagement.

Mozumdar, who is also the assistant general secretary of the Gauhati Press Club, claimed in a social media post that he had been detained for asking questions to Saikia about the alleged scam. “My voice cannot be stopped,” he added.

He also shared a video clip of him questioning Saikia on the matter.

The Gauhati...

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