Arrested Man is the Brother of the leader of Opposition and Congress MLA Debabrat Saikia.
Guwahati: Former Assam Chief Minister and Congress leader Late Hiteswar Saikia's youngest son Ashok Saikia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday (November 7) evening. CBI arrested Saikia in a loan scam who has been absconding since 2013 after his conviction in the Assam State Cooperative and Agriculture Development (ASCARD ) Bank loan scam in 1998, CBI sources said.
Ashok Saikia, also the brother of the Opposition leader in Assam Legislative Assembly and Congress MLA Debarata Saikia, was arrested from his Guwahati residence after CBI raided his residence on Sunday in connection with the non-repayment Rs 9.37 lakh ASCARD bank loan scam.
According to reports, case No. 202/1998 was registered at the Paltan Bazar Police Station in Guwahati. The case was later handed over to the CBI in 2001 after complaints (Nos. 5/E/2001 and 6/E/2001) were filed with the CBI's Kolkata Branch. In the 6/E/2001 case, Ashok Saikia was convicted in 2013. Reports also suggest that Saikia absconded after his conviction in 2013 by the CBI Court.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Ashok Saikia said, "I have availed a loan from the ASCARD bank in the year 1996 for establishing a business. But later, I have already cleared the dues of the bank following a settlement with the bank. On October 10, 2015, then General Manager in charge of the bank, H.N. Borah, informed me by a letter. The CBI Kolkata team took Saikia to the city office in Guwahati for further investigation. He will be produced in a special CBI court on November 9, 2021.
