Media Gag & Bank Scam in Assam? Congress MP Seeks PM’s Intervention

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging an independent inquiry into alleged financial irregularities at the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank and condemning the wrongful arrest of senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar. Gogoi accused the Assam government of intimidating the media instead of addressing the deepening banking scandal.

In his letter dated March 28, Gogoi detailed alarming developments surrounding the bank, where Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma serves as Director and BJP MLA Biswajit Phukan holds the position of Chairman. He highlighted serious financial discrepancies and a disturbing pattern of press suppression.

Journalist’s Arrest Raises Questions on Press Freedom

On March 25, senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar was covering a protest outside the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank when he sought a statement from the bank’s Managing Director, Dambaru Saikia. Invited inside the premises, Mazumdar was subsequently detained by Pan Bazar Police under dubious circumstances.

Initially charged with caste-based abuse—an allegation later dismissed by the Magistrate due to lack of evidence—Mazumdar was granted bail. However, in a shocking turn of events, he was re-arrested the next day on exaggerated charges of robbery and trespassing, allegedly to steal confidential bank documents. Gogoi slammed this as an attempt to muzzle the press, calling for a full-fledged investigation into the police’s actions.

I have written a letter to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji about the need for an inquiry into the financial irregularities at Assam Cooperative Apex Bank because the state government is busy arresting and intimidating the Assamese media. @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/Cw91TiGENY

— Gaurav Gogoi (@GauravGogoiAsm) March 30, 2025

Apex Bank’s Financial Scandals Exposed

Gogoi’s letter also shed light on concerning financial anomalies within the Apex Bank. Reports suggest that since June 2024, the bank has been operating without a formal contract with any IT vendor, raising severe security risks. Additionally, infrastructure costs reportedly surged from Rs 28 crore in 2018 to nearly Rs 50 crore in 2025, with Rs 14 crore allegedly funneled to global consulting firm KPMG under suspicious circumstances.

A complaint detailing these financial discrepancies was reportedly submitted to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on January 30, yet the Assam government has remained unresponsive. Despite a March 3 directive from the state’s Cooperation Department ordering an investigation, protestors dismissed the move as a mere eyewash, alleging a deliberate cover-up.

Demand for Independent Inquiry

Gogoi urged the Prime Minister to initiate an independent audit of the Assam Apex Bank, scrutinizing its financial records and governance. He also demanded accountability for the police's misuse of power in Mazumdar’s arrest, emphasizing that press freedom must be safeguarded against politically motivated crackdowns.

“This issue extends beyond one journalist—it strikes at the core of our democracy, the transparency of financial institutions, and the protection of constitutional rights,” Gogoi stated, stressing the need for immediate intervention.