Congress Legislature Party Leader Debabrata Saikia has written to the Governor of Assam, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, demanding a free, fair, and independent investigation by a central agency, preferably the CBI, into the recent alleged suicide of 30-year-old Assistant Engineer Joshita Das in Bongaigaon district.
In his detailed representation, Saikia highlighted what he called a disturbing case of workplace harassment, where the young Public Works Department (PWD) officer, posted in Bongaigaon, was found dead in her rented accommodation in Barpara on July 21, 2025. A handwritten suicide note allegedly recovered from the site pointed fingers at two senior PWD officials, accusing them of prolonged harassment, coercion, and repeated instructions to compromise on construction quality, particularly regarding a government project.
The complaint references the "Mini Stadium at Borsojgaon", a project under Bongaigaon LAC being implemented in partnership with M/s Achetic Creations. According to the note and family testimonies, the project lacked approved architectural plans and carried allegedly inflated invoices. The suicide note also describes threats of disciplinary transfers and a lack of administrative backing, which compounded the deceased’s mental trauma.
Joshita’s mother has since filed a police complaint, resulting in the arrest of the two accused officials under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. However, Saikia stressed that a mere departmental enquiry ordered by the State Government may not suffice, as there are fears of bias, suppression of evidence, and potential influence by powerful individuals connected to the case.
Citing Supreme Court precedents including Tehseen S. Poonawalla vs. Union of India, Nilabati Behera vs. State of Odisha, and D.K. Basu vs. State of West Bengal, Saikia emphasized the need for accountability, transparency, and protection of fundamental rights under Article 21 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
He also urged the Governor to recommend a CBI inquiry to ensure that the investigation is comprehensive, unbiased, and immune to local pressures. Additionally, he appealed for financial compensation to be granted to the victim’s family, in line with constitutional provisions and landmark judicial pronouncements regarding custodial and administrative accountability.
Saikia further highlighted the necessity of a wider probe into financial irregularities in at least 40 mini-stadium projects being executed across Assam under the NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance (NIDA) scheme. He expressed concern that systemic flaws and potential misuse of funds may be at play, requiring urgent redressal at the highest level.