Assam police bust fraud network duping businesses nationwide; BJP leader among arrests

Guwahati, Sept 25: Assam police have busted a sophisticated fraud network that duped several businesses across India of crores of rupees by issuing fake government work orders.

Three individuals, including the state secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Scheduled Caste Morcha, have been arrested in connection with the elaborate scam.

The arrested individuals have been identified as BJP leader Ashim Das (41), Birinchi Borkotoki (61), a retired publicity officer of the Director of Small Savings, and Niranjan Das (39). The trio is currently in police custody at Pan Bazar Police Station.

The fraudulent scheme came to light when Prontastic IT, a Noida-based company, filed a complaint stating it had been duped of ₹4 crore.

“Ashim, who claims to be associated with a political party, is the kingpin of this network,” said Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, Diganta Barah, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Explaining the modus operandi, Barah revealed that the accused posed as high-ranking state government officials to deceive businesses.

The network creates counterfeit work orders for supplying items like blankets, bedsheets, pillow covers, buckets, and mugs. Through agents, they approached businesses outside Assam, offering assistance in securing contracts with Assam’s development councils in exchange for a commission.

“In this particular case, they lured Sunny Brezza, the proprietor of Prontastic IT, with a fake ₹250 crore supply order for the Adivasi Development Council. They convinced him to supply an initial order of ₹4 crore worth of bedsheets and pillows. After receiving the goods, they unloaded them at a godown in Guwahati’s Changsari area and later sold them in the open market,” he said.

The fraudsters went to great lengths to appear legitimate, holding meetings with Brezza inside the Assam Secretariat using fraudulent passes made by Niranjan.

“They even made a member of their crew pose as the Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam, and handed over hard copies of fake supply orders to Brezza inside the Secretariat,” said Barah, adding that the group also took ₹85 lakh as security money from the company.

The police are currently investigating two cases—one involving Manpho Export, from which the suspects swindled ₹3.7 crore, and the other involving Prontastic IT.

“After news of the arrests broke, several other businessmen have come forward. We have advised them to register cases,” Barah added, suggesting that more complaints are expected as the investigation progresses.