CID Unmasks ‘Dr. Paridhi Sarmah’: Fake Identity Used to Deceive Assam’s Intellectual Circles

In a sensational revelation, Assam Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has unmasked the true identity behind “Dr. Paridhi Sarmah,” a name that recently stirred the state’s literary and intellectual circles. The person operating under the fake identity has been identified as Dhrubajyoti Saikia, a 36-year-old man from Bharalua in Dikhowmukh in Assam's Sivasagar district.

Presenting herself as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at Delhi University, “Dr. Paridhi Sarmah” had gained considerable attention for regularly contributing in-depth critical essays to newspapers and magazines. Sarmah also interacted frequently with journalists and intellectuals, further strengthening her credibility. However, CID investigations have confirmed that no such person exists in Delhi University or in any official academic capacity.

According to CID sources, Saikia created a fake Facebook account under the name Paridhi Sarmah in 2021, complete with a display picture of a Karnataka-based IAS officer. Using this persona, he authored articles and sent them to various publications. His writings, presented under a female identity, garnered far more attention than those he previously submitted under his real name.

Saikia, a mathematics graduate, admitted during interrogation that the attention and recognition he received as “Paridhi Sarmah” motivated him to continue the impersonation. He further confessed to using a woman’s voice during phone calls with several high-profile individuals, deceiving many in the process.

Suspicion around the identity grew when Dr. Paridhi Sarmah was named as a member of the editorial committee for a book on the history of Assam’s budget, prepared under a project related to the state government’s budget studies. Project editor Palash Ranjan Baruah, upon growing suspicious about the identity of Dr. Sarmah, lodged a complaint with the Assam CID at Ulubari office on February 4, 2025.

CID investigators traced the IP addresses, emails, and phone numbers linked to the Facebook account, eventually identifying Saikia as the person behind the fake identity. Both mobile numbers used by “Sarmah” were registered under his name. Further inquiry revealed he had also adopted two other female aliases.

While writing under a pseudonym is not a crime in itself, CID officials stated that Saikia crossed legal boundaries by misrepresenting himself, using a fake identity for official engagements, and engaging in prolonged deceptive conversations with several individuals. These actions, they noted, could amount to criminal impersonation and fraud.

A senior CID officer remarked, “This case reflects how easily trust can be manipulated in academic and intellectual circles, especially when digital platforms blur the line between identity and anonymity.”

The investigation continues to determine the full extent of Saikia’s interactions and whether any institutional procedures were compromised due to the false identity.

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