Gauhati High Court grants bail to nine in cash for job scam
Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court ton Thursday granted bail to nine Assam Civil Service (ACS) and Assam Police Service (APS) officers arrested in connection with the cash for job scam. These officers were arrested on November 8, 2017 and have been languishing in the Central Jail Guwahati. Those who have been granted bail are Dipak Khanikar, Kunal Das, Sudipta Goswami, Gitali Doley, Rumi Saikia, Sunaina Aideu, Sabira Imran, Dilip Kumar Kalita and Badarul Islam. 54 persons including prime accused Rakesh Paul were arrested by the police in connection with the multi-crore cash for job scam. (UNI)
Groundwater of 24 Assam districts arsenic contaminated
Guwahati: The groundwater of 24 districts of Assam has been contaminated by arsenic, while that in 13 districts affected by fluoride, the state assembly was informed on Thursday. Replying to a query by AGP MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita during Question Hour, Public Health Engineering Minister Rihon Daimary said groundwater in 6,881 areas of 24 districts are contaminated by arsenic. Fluoride has also been found across 930 areas in 13 districts, he added. The government has established 227 and 40 schemes for arsenic and fluoride free water respectively at various locations, Daimary said. “The Centre has also approved 122 schemes for arsenic free water in the state. But we have not been able to implement these as we have not got land for them. I request all the MLAs to help us in acquiring land for this purpose,” he added. (PTI)
Man gets death penalty for rape-murder of minor girl
Hailakandi (Assam): A local court on Thursday awarded the death penalty to a man for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old tribal girl. District and Sessions Judge Debasish Bhattacharjee announced the quantum of punishment days after he convicted Jashimuddin Borbhuyian in the case. Borbhuyian was held guilty on Monday under sections 376 (rape) and 302 (murder) of the IPC read with section 4 of POCSO Act. The incident took place on March 14 this year at Hailakandi district’s Betcherra Purabshree village along the Assam-Mizoram border. The accused was nabbed on March 16. (PTI)