As many as 242 unauthorised “petition writers” were arrested by the Assam Police across the state from the late hours of January 15 to morning of January 16.
This happened after chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in November directed the police department to arrest the unauthorised petition writers.
GP Singh’s statement over the matter:
Special DGP (law & order) GP Singh said, “After the CM’s direction, the superintendents of police of all districts have prepared a list of around 300 unauthorized professional FIR writers, who actually make a simple complaint complex in the FIR by adding whatever they want just for the sake of money. Based on the list, we have arrested the unauthorized FIR writers who will be sent to judicial custody.”
Other complaints regarding the same:
He further added that “In the last SP conference held in Duliajan, we have found that the people go with a different complaint and FIR writers reflect the complaints differently by adding words to make the case sensational, which we do not find during or after investigation.”
Reports said that 37 such persons were arrested in Kamrup district followed by Goalpara (13), Bongaigaon (12), Nagaon (12), Guwahati (8), and from other districts. The number is expected to rise as the operation is still under way.
CM Sarma directs arrest of 242 unauthorised petition writers:
On November 24, 2021 CM Sarma said that “brokers” within the system need to be arrested to cleanse the system and directed officers-in-charge of all the police stations across the state to arrest unauthorized persons who roam around the police stations to write FIRs and complaints. He had also said such persons who are not authorized are seen in all police stations and they charge money for writing FIR copies which can “never be accepted”.
Again in September 2021, Assam police arrested over 500 land brokers in raids conducted across the state as part of the BJP-led government’s crackdown on brokers operating in land revenue and circle offices.
