₹2 crore in cash, gold: Assam officer Nupur Borah amassed wealth 400 times her income, says CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that an Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer, who was arrested for allegedly possessing disproportionate wealth, had amassed assets 400 times more than her known sources of income.

The CM’s Special Vigilance Cell on Monday arrested ACS officer Nupur Borah after searches at her home led to the recovery of over ₹92.50 lakh in cash and jewellry worth nearly ₹1.5 crore.

She was posted as Circle Officer in Goraimari in Kamrup district at the time of her arrest.

Borah has been under surveillance for the last six months. While posted as a circle officer in Barpeta, she authorised an illegal land transfer deal, for which she was later shifted out of the district.

Sarma said that penal measures beyond suspension or dismissal from the job are being pursued to ensure that the officer is held accountable as per law.

“She had amassed wealth 400 times more than her known sources of income. We think that not just suspension or dismissal from the job would suffice. We have to ensure penal measures through the legal process,” Sarma said on the sidelines of an event in Baksa district.

Several others were also involved, and they are being questioned, the chief minister said.

“It is my request to the public to be vigilant and inform us if any official asks for bribes,” he added.

Senior Superintendent of Police, CM’s Special Vigilance Cell, Rosie Kalita, said in Guwahati that Borah has been arrested on the basis of a preliminary inquiry.

“We had searched her flat in Guwahati and a rented accommodation in Barpeta, recovering over ₹92.50 lakh in cash. It is the largest amount of cash recovered by our cell so far,” Kalita said.

The arrested officer has two plots and three flats in her name in Guwahati, besides the recovered cash and jewellery, the SSP also said, adding: “These are all preliminary findings. Investigations are ongoing.”