In a major development in the Bajali corruption case, a broker (middleman) named Sahidul Islam surrendered in Assam’s Barpeta, reports emerged on Wednesday.

As per reports, right after he surrendered, Sahidul was brought for interrogation to the Crime Investigation Department (CID), Assam headquarters late on Tuesday night. He is currently being interrogated by the CID officials.

Earlier today, the CID conducted a search operation at the residence of Rabiul Islam, the supari businessman in Bajali. Reportedly, a laptop and 23 cheques were seized during the operations.

Sahidul Islam was the broker involved in the corruption case which cropped up after an FIR was lodged by supari businessman Rabiul Islam, resulting in a comprehensive investigation.

So far, top cops of the Bajali Police including Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddhartha Buragohain, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Puskal Gogoi and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gayatri Sonowal and her husband Bobby Singh Sharma have been arrested in connection to the case.

On the other hand, a huge suitcase belonging to SP Siddhartha Buragohain was recovered by the police in Pathsala, sources said. The suitcase was reportedly kept hidden by Buragohain.

Notably, the CID custody of three accused namely ASP Gayatri Sonowal, her husband Bobby Singh Sharma and the linkman Kishore Baruah will end today. Each of them were reportedly in five-day custody of the CID after being arrested in connection to the corruption case.

Rabiul Islam, the businessman, in his FIR alleged, among other things, that he was wrongfully detained by police and told to pay Rs 2.5 crores, failing which he would be killed in an encounter and his killing would be justified by concocting “links with Pakistani and Bangladeshi jihadi elements”. In his complaint, Islam said the threats were made by a man who claimed to be an “encounter specialist”.