[Assam] ‘BIG GUN’ robbers catch thieves! Legalise voluntary contributions to the ULFA fund to stop such greedy designs.

[Bartta Bistar]

Cop caught fleecing trader in Ulfa name

OUR CORRESPONDENT

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070928/asp/northeast/story_8369107.asp





*Dibrugarh, Sept. 27: *A special investigation by the army and Military
Intelligence to bust an extortion network threw up a surprise last night: a
police sub-inspector was found extorting money in the name of the banned
Ulfa.

Notorious for throwing his weight around, sub-inspector Abdul Sattar from
Dibrugarh Sadar police station was trying to extort Rs 2.5 lakh from an
affluent Sivasagar-based businessman when a team from the 2 Bihar Regiment
caught him in the act. Sattar and his accomplice, Krishna Mohan Sonowal,
were arrested from Mazhar Charali in the town.

Sonowal, 25, is a resident of Naliapool.

Based on the duo's confessions, the army and the police arrested three more
persons from different localities of Dibrugarh since early today. They are
Ataur Rehman of Maijan Road, Biswajit Hazarika of Borbari Railway Colony and
Tajjul Islam of Grahambazar.

"We had been tracking this racket for the past couple of months, but we
never thought that a police officer was involved in extorting money in
Ulfa's name," a senior army officer who was involved in the investigation
said.

The army had positioned men in plainclothes near a small eatery in the
Phulbagan, based on information that some Ulfa conduits would arrive to
collect around Rs 2.5 lakh from an extortion target. "Our men noticed that a
policeman in uniform was sitting next to the person who we initially
suspected of being the extortionist. After some time, both left the area and
we received information that the place for the transaction was shifted to
Mazhar Charali," the army officer said.

On reaching Mazhar Charali, the army team spotted the same police officer
and caught him accepting the cash. "He and his accomplice admitted to
extortion when we interrogated them," the officer said.

Dibrugarh superintendent of police V.K. Ramisetti has since ordered the
suspension of Sattar, who was in uniform and carrying his service revolver
when he was taken into custody.

The officer-in-charge of Dibrugarh Sadar police station, Sisir Baruah, said
all five arrested persons would be produced in court on Friday. The case
against them is on the basis of the FIR filed by the 2 Bihar Regiment at the
same police station.

Lt M.P. Singh of the regiment signed the FIR.

Although the army officially declined to comment on the issue "as it
involves a police officer", a source said the possibility of more policemen
being involved in the extortion ring could not be ruled out. "We are
investigating the case. It will be very immature of us to divulge the
details at this juncture," the army officer said.

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