Mahanta got scam money

According to the CBI report sent to the Union Law Ministry last month — this forms the basis of the proposed charge-sheet — Mahanta is charged with having allegedly received as many as 76 bank drafts worth a total of Rs 26 lakh from Rajen Bora from November 1990 to January 1991. Mahanta was then state chief minister.

Mahanta, during his interrogation, denied these charges.

The bank drafts, in the denomination of either Rs 50,000 or Rs 30,000, were allegedly issued from Bora’s account at the United Bank of India at Sibsagar and were in the name of several Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) activists and institutions in Mahanta’s constituency, Nagaon.

CBI investigations show that these bank drafts were allegedly issued from the same bank account where Bora is supposed to have deposited Rs 48 crore which he “fraudulently” withdrew from the Sibsagar treasury for supplies made to the Integrated Cattle Development Programme (ICDP) at Demow.

Mahanta is also named in connection with the receipt of 2,000 bundles of corrugated iron sheets, valued at Rs 25 lakh, from Bora for his constituency. The consignment was received, the CBI says, on Mahanta’s behalf by the treasurer of the AGP unit in Nagaon. The CBI has also alleged that in September, 1992, Bora paid the air fare for Mahanta’s trip from Guwahati to New Delhi and back.

The money for the ticket was allegedly paid from Bora’s bank account in Sibsagar where the scam-tainted money was deposited.

Stating that the scam period stretched from 1986 to 1992, the CBI has also charged Hiteswar Saikia’s son, D B Saikia with having received part of the scam money from Bora. .

Meanwhile, Assam governor S K Sinha today asked the CBI to submit some more documents to support its charge before he gives the agency sanction to proceed against Mahanta.