It’s shocking to report that a number of Guwahati-based scribes and RTI (right to information) activists have been facing interrogation and even arrest by Assam chief minister’s special vigilance cell following the allegations of Sewali Devi Sharma, the prime accused in Rs 105 crore State council of educational research and training (SCERT) scam, as being blackmailers to her in different occasions. The arrestees include a lady reporter (identified as Pujamoni Das alias Honey Kashyap, who reportedly took a large volume of money from Ms Sharma) along with a satellite news channel reporter named Bhaskarjyoti Hazarika. RTI activists namely Rabijit Gogoi…
Author: Nava Thakuria
Guwahati: The complainant, whose case relating to National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation scam in Assam was not entertained by Kamrup (metropolitan) chief judicial magistrate’s court citing the reason that it lacks the jurisdiction to investigate the allegations or direct the police to file a first information report (FIR), decides to re-approach the court with a different jurisdiction. Luit Kumar Barman, a well known Assamese entrepreneur turned acclaimed film producer, approached the court with the plea to direct Paltan Bazar police station to register his FIR. Barman, a visible social media user, sued the former NRC Assam coordinator Prateek Hajela…
First thing first. I never imagined to be a journalist (not to speak of a sports reporter) but destiny had a special script (prepared in a bad mood) for me. After appearing in the final year examination in Assam Engineering College (1990), I went to meet our unique Physics Professor Surendranath Medhi (many believe him as a most modern Assamese short story writer, Saurabh Kumar Chaliha) at his quarter. Medhi Sir, a thin gentleman with a soft voice, was however a terror for many AECIANs (as he was a very strict teacher after Principal AK Padmapati Sir). Going to his…
Guwahati: The former Chief Justice of India and currently a member of Rajya Sabha, Ranjan Gogoi faces a defamation suit in Assam for his objectionable views penned in a book relating to Aabhijeet Sharma, president of Assam Public Works (APW). Gogoi termed the APW chief as a threat to Prateek Hajela, IAS, then State Coordinator of National Register of Citizen for Assam, in his book titled ‘Justice for the Judge: An Autobiography’. Sharma has filed the Rs one crore suit (case no 261/23) against Gogoi and also the publisher of the book (Rupa Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi) at…
Guwahati: Assam water resources and information & public relations minister Piyush Hazarika on Thursday visited several places in Cachar district on the second day of his Barak valley visit. Hazarika first inspected the repair work of the dam in Badrighat area of Barak river and then visited Betukandi area. A sluice gate is already being constructed in the area and about 700 meters of dam is being raised and reconstructed. Hazarika directed the district magistrate to work expeditiously to resolve the land acquisition problems encountered in the construction of dams. He also visited Annapurnaghat area and inspected the ongoing erosion…
Guwahati: Assam’s well known journalist Rupam Barua has been selected for the Prestigeous Devarshi Narad Jayanti award this year, which will be conferred on the nationalist media columnist on Saturday. Barua, who also edits popular Assamese children magazine Sofura, was recently selected for the coveted award, informs Kishor Shivam of Visva Sambad Kendra Assam. As part of the annual Maharshi Narad Jayanti celebration, three senior city-based journalists namely Jitendra Choudhury of Dainik Asom, Saumya Bharadwaj of Amar Asom and Sewali Kalita of Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati will also be felicitated in the function to be held at Sudarshanalaya in Barbori area.…
Guwahati: Appreciating Assam government for planning to set up an integrated judicial complex, which is expected to comprise the Gauhati High Court along with CJM & sessions courts of Kamrup (metropolitan) and Kamrup district in one campus, Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) reiterates its old demand for a media centre where the journalists can assemble for regular interaction and organisetraining/orientation programs, workshops, conferences for updating themselves with the future course of actions. State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while attending the closing ceremony of GHC’s platinum jubilee celebration on 14 April 2023 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in the city, announced in…
Guwahati: Attending the closing ceremony of Gauhati High Court’s platinum jubilee celebration on 14 April 2023 at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra in the city, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the State government was planning to construct an integrated judicial complex in Guwahati, which will comprise the GHC along with CJM and sessions courts of Kamrup (metropolitan) and Kamrup district in one campus. Sarma commented that the judiciary has been playing an important role in the democratic system of India. As the country has celebrated 75 years of its independence, Sarma opined…
Guwahati: Assam’s well-known businessman, film maker and a vivid social media user Luit Kumar Barman has lodged a complaint in the court of Kamrup (metro) chief judicial magistrate on Wednesday against Prateek Hajela, IAS (the former State coordinator for National Register of Citizens), Wipro limited and Integrated System and Services (ISS, represented by proprietor Utpal Hazarika) for their suspected roles in money laundering to the tune of Rs 155 crores in the NRC Assam updation process (May 2014 to October 2019). Barman, who introduced himself as a concerned & vigilant Indian national against corruption, cited the recently released report of…
Guwahati: Dibrugarh in eastern Assam is hosting Yoga Mahotsav of the Ayush ministry on 7 April to commemorate the 75 days to International Yoga Day. Union ports, shipping & waterways and Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal recently visited the Dibrugarh University campus to take stock of the preparation for the important event. He was accompanied by State health minister Keshab Mahanta along with concerned senior officials. “It is a moment of great pride as our beautiful Dibrugarh gets ready to host one of the biggest Yoga events in India. It is a wonderful connection that we also celebrate World Health Day…