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Assam Police has decided to constitute a SIT to investigate allegations against Dhubri Police’s role in cattle smuggling syndicate and other illegal activities in the last two years in the district.

The development comes after the arrest of a Dhubri-based journalist of a TV news channel, Rajib Sharma, by the Dhubri Police on the basis of an FIR lodged by Dhubri DFO, Biswajit Ray alleging Sharma of extortion.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), GP Singh, visited the home of Sharma on July 17 and said that the CID will investigate the entire case.

“The case of the arrest of a local journalist of an electronic media, Rajib Sharma has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department, for proper investigation. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption cell will investigate the DFO, Dhubri’s case separately, unrelated to this criminal case, on the allegations of the series of media reports related to the corruption of Dhubri DFO as well as cattle smuggling through the district,” Singh said.

“A SIT investigation will be initiated against the role of Dhubri Police during the last two years. I have done the preliminary enquiry today and will submit my findings to the Director General of Police and the chief minister of Assam by tonight,” he added.

Sharma was arrested at around 2 am on July 16 from his residence located at Gauripur town.

The ailing father of the journalist, Sudin Sharma aged about 64, allegedly could not bear the shock and died due to a cardiac arrest soon after.

Sharma was booked under non-bailable sections but due to sudden demise of his father, he was granted an interim bail of three days to perform the last rites of his father.

The Assam government on July 17 evening transferred Superintendent of Police, Yuvraj and DFO Biswajit Roy.

National Human Rights Commission has also registered a case based on a complaint filed by Monojit Singha, a Guwahati-based human rights activist, regarding “illegal arrest of Sharma for reporting news of ‘illegal’ cow and wood smuggling in the area”.

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