Assam: Teachers arrested for fake job promises in Bihpuria

Two teachers, Devanand Saikia and Munindra Hazarika, were arrested by Bihpuria police for duping numerous individuals out of their hard-earned money with false promises of securing jobs. The duo, who had allegedly been running this fraudulent operation, was apprehended after an FIR was lodged against them by Meenakshi Hazarika Saikia, wife of Babul Saikia from Barpathar.

Munindra Hazarika, a resident of Gosainpathar under the Bihpuria police station, and Devanand Saikia, hailing from Sandahkhowa Uriampara, found themselves in the clutches of the law after being accused of swindling their victims of substantial sums. The complaint filed by Meenakshi Hazarika Saikia detailed how her cousin, Munindra Hazarika, had allegedly extracted Rs 4,50,000 in cash and an additional Rs 50,000 via Google Pay in exchange for a promised job back in 2020.

Disturbingly, in January 2021, Munindra Hazarika presented Meenakshi with a counterfeit appointment letter for the position of an assistant teacher at Kaniajan New Primary School, under the Bihpuria education block. It soon became apparent that the document was nothing more than a forgery when Meenakshi attempted to join her new role, only to be met with disbelief and rejection from the school authorities.

This marked the beginning of Meenakshi's relentless quest to recover her hard-earned money from her brother-in-law, Munindra Hazarika. Ultimately, frustrated with the lack of resolution, she submitted a formal complaint to the Superintendent of Police in Lakhimpur district, leading to the subsequent arrest of the fraudulent teachers.

The police raid at Devanand Saikia's residence yielded a cache of incriminating evidence, including lists of job seekers, counterfeit appointment letters, and various seals and stamps used in their deceitful operation.

The ordeal has not been limited to Meenakshi alone, as reports have surfaced of the two teachers allegedly swindling substantial sums from other unsuspecting individuals. Khudeshwar Pegu, a resident of Banapurai Jamuguri under Dhalpur police station, has also fallen victim to their nefarious scheme, further fueling the investigation.

The arrested teachers now face multiple charges, including those under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 34 (common intention). As the investigation continues, it is expected that more victims may come forward to shed light on the full extent of the deception perpetrated by Saikia and Hazarika.