
Former Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker Pulakesh Barua was arrested on Friday night in connection with illegal recruitment of teachers in the state during 1996-2001.
Barua, who had quit the AGP in 2002 and later lost the 2006 Assembly elections as a candidate of the Trinamul Gana Parishad TGP in the Barkhetri assembly segment, was picked up from his residence in Guwahati by a team of policemen from Nalbari.
Barua was produced before the chief judicial magistrate of Nalbari and was remanded in five days8217; police custody on Saturday. However, he was shifted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital when he complained of chest pain. Barua is a heart patient.
The police have been investigating the illegal appointment of over 4,000 schoolteachers in Nalbari district during the AGP-led Government headed by Prafulla Kumar Mahanta. It is alleged that Barua, who was the then chairman of Nalbari District Teachers8217; Selection Committee, was directly involved in selecting teachers by foul means.
The police on Friday also arrested Amulya Choudhury, a former inspector of schools, Nalbari, in connection with the scam. Five more officers have also been taken into custody.