Assam CM's vigilance raid: Rs 2.31 cr cash and gold found at Biswajit Goswami's Bongaigaon residence

The Chief Minister's Anti-Corruption and Surveillance Wing, along with the police, conducted a raid at the residence of Dhubri Zilla Parishad CEO Biswajit Goswami in Bongaigaon. The operation, which lasted for about 12 hours, resulted in the seizure of a staggering Rs 2.31 crore in cash and valuable gold jewellery.

The raiding team, acting on credible information, stormed the D1 room of the apartment named Sangram Niloy, which is owned by Biswajit Goswami's wife, Lilidevi Goswami. During the meticulous search, six bank passbooks were also confiscated, shedding light on the extensive financial activities of the detained officer.

The gravity of the situation became evident when the police brought in a money accounting machine to scrutinize the vast amounts of cash found at the premises. Furthermore, investigations revealed that Biswajit Goswami owned land at 11 different locations and possessed several large market complexes.

The raid comes on the heels of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption's (DVAC) apprehension of Biswajit Goswami and his Assistant District Programme Manager, Mrinal Kanti Sarkar, on July 21. The duo was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from two Zilla members in exchange for approving developmental projects under government schemes.

The DVAC had been inundated with complaints from both the public and Zilla Parishad members, pointing to rampant corruption and malpractices within the organization. Reports indicated that Goswami and Sarkar had been demanding exorbitant sums of money for every work sanctioned by the Zilla Parishad, fueling a growing chorus of grievances against them.