Online trading scam: CBI quizzes actress Sumi Borah, key accused Bishal Phukan

Guwahati, Oct 31 (IANS The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) quizzed controversial Assamese actress Sumi Borah on Thursday in Guwahati. The probe agency asked a few questions regarding the online trading scam and the role of key accused Bishal Phukan in the whole business.

Phukan allegedly used Borah’s network in the Assamese movie industry, and he was successful in getting a handful of clients.

Bishal used to throw lavish parties for the artistes, and they were lured by expensive gifts to invest in the online trading business.

The CBI team has interrogated Phukan as well and the probe agency has plans to question of Sumi Borah and Bishal Phukan together in the next few days.

Earlier, on Wednesday, CBI got seven days' custody of Borah, her husband Tarkik Borah and Phukan. The trio have been lodged in jail since the huge scam surfaced in September that shocked the entire state.

Meanwhile, another five accused who were also brought from Dibrugarh to Guwahati along with Sumi Borah and others were also sent to seven days court's custody by the court.

Earlier, all of them were brought from Dibrugarh central jail to Guwahati by CBI under tight security.

The state government has handed over the 41 cases related to the online trading scam to the central agency.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Assam Police handed over key information regarding the online trading scam to the CBI officials.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier announced that the CBI would be investigating 41 cases pertaining to the multi-crore online trading scam.

"We have filed 41 cases against online trading fraudsters. The state government decided to hand over all of these cases to the CBI. I spoke with Union Home Minister Amit Shah about this, and he agreed to let the CBI probe the scam. I went to Delhi to apprise him about the latest development," he had said.

To recall, an online trading scam amounting to Rs 2,200 crore was busted in Assam in September after a kingpin of this fraud, Bishal Phukan, was arrested from his Dibrugarh residence.

Sumi Borah and her husband Tarkik Borah, accused in a trading scam, surrendered before the police later.

The couple was arrested after they surrendered in Dibrugarh. Notably, the duo was on the run since the huge scam surfaced and it was revealed that Borah was well-connected with Bishal Phukan in this scam.

--IANS

tdr/pgh