Congress gheraos Apex Bank, demands probe into alleged multi-crore scam

Guwahati, April 5: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), along with its affiliated bodies - the Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress and the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress Committee - staged a massive protest in front of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank in Guwahati, on Saturday.

The gherao drew attention to what the party has termed as a "multi-crore recruitment scam" and demanded an impartial probe into the allegations.

Congress leaders and workers chanted slogans like “BJP Murdabad” and held placards, questioning the alleged silence of authorities over the recruitment irregularities.

The protest also condemned the recent arrest of a city-based journalist, Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar, who was detained on March 25 for allegedly trying to question the bank’s managing director about the scam. Congress leaders called the arrest "politically motivated" and an "attack on press freedom".

Protestors and police at the site 

“The journalist was merely doing his duty—asking questions. His arrest is not just an act of intimidation but a grave threat to democratic rights and freedom of the press,” said a protester.

The Congress party demanded an immediate and transparent investigation into the recruitment scam and urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government to ensure that media professionals are allowed to function freely without fear of persecution.

The protest adds to the growing chorus of outrage from journalists, activists, and student bodies across Assam, many of whom have already taken to the streets against what they term as "an attempt to silence critical voices".

The Congress warned of intensifying its agitation if the state government fails to act swiftly and bring the truth to light.