Two arrested in Assam Tourism department recruitment scam, CM Vigilance intensifies probe

In a major development in the decade-old Tourism Department recruitment scam, the Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell on Tuesday night arrested Ananya Borthakur and Pranjal Bora, both accused of fraudulently securing government jobs through illegal means.

Officials confirmed that the alleged irregularities date back to 2010–2012, when former Tourism Minister and senior Congress leader Rokibul Hussain was in charge of the department. During this period, several appointments were reportedly made bypassing eligibility norms and mandatory qualification requirements.

Borthakur, who was posted in Delhi, and Bora, serving in Nagaon, are among eight accused who allegedly manipulated the recruitment process to obtain government positions. The arrests follow an earlier case registered by the CM Vigilance under Sections 13 and 25 after a preliminary probe exposed widespread discrepancies.

According to investigators, multiple individuals appointed during that period did not meet the essential educational qualifications for key posts in the Tourism Department, raising serious concerns over the integrity of the recruitment system.

Besides Borthakur and Bora, the candidates currently under scrutiny include:
Hiran Kumar Saikia, Saymeen Mannan, Mehjubin Begum, Gautam Gogoi, Madhab Das, and Nayanmoni Pamegam.