Fake AAU job letters issued in retired agriculture officer’s name, FIR filed

Jorhat, July 14: A retired District Agriculture Officer (DAO), Dr Nitumoni Gogoi, a resident of Jorhat, has lodged an FIR at the Jorhat Police Station alleging that a fake appointment letter, for two posts in the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) and one in the State Agriculture department has been purportedly issued by some unknown person by forging his name and signature as the DAO, Jorhat dated July 12, 2025, when he is already a retired person.

Gogoi told this newspaper on Sunday that he had retired as DAO, Golaghat on December 31, 2024 and also earlier held the charge as DAO, Jorhat for a brief period. He said that on Saturday, he came to know about the forgery from a reliable source and got copies of the fake appointment letters.

Among the three posts, one was for the Assistant Laboratory Bearer at DAO, Nalbari office, and the other two were Junior Soil Tester, Soil Department, AAU, Jorhat and Executive Soil Ranger Assistant, Soil Department, AAU, Jorhat. The names of the candidates shown in the appointment letter were from Tezpur, Golaghat and Sivasagar.

Gogoi said that fake appointment letters having a letterhead mentioning as Government of Assam, AAU, appointed three persons to three different posts – two in AAU, Jorhat and one in the DAO, Nalbari – being issued by DAO Jorhat with his name and signature on July 12, 2025.

Gogoi said that DAO means District Agriculture Officer, but the appointment letters stated District ‘Agricultural’ Officer, and there were other discrepancies too. He stated that a serving DAO does not have the authority to appoint anyone, as appointment to any government job is done through a laid down procedure having many norms and conditions to be followed.

“Moreover, how can a DAO under the State Agriculture department issue any letter for AAU?” Gogoi asked. The retired DAO hoped that a proper investigation by the police will bust the racket involved in the fraudulent act.