Loan Default Case: CBI Arrests Former Assam CM Hiteswar Saikia’s Son Ashok

This move came after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him for non-appearance in the court despite summons in connection with the alleged loan default case of around Rs nine lakh.

Representative Photo: Getty Images

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday arrested former Assam chief minister Hiteswar Saikia’s son Ashok Saikia in connection with a 25-year-old alleged loan default case.

This move came after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him for non-appearance in the court despite summons in connection with the alleged loan default case of around Rs nine lakh.

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The officials said that the former Assam chief minister’s son, who was questioned by the Guwahati team of the CBI, was put under arrest and will be produced in the court on Monday, PTI reported.

Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, said that his younger brother Ashok was taken away by a team of the CBI officials earlier in the evening.

“I do not know whether he has been arrested or detained. In fact, I do not know where he has been taken. This is a very old case and was duly settled. The bank did not inform the court and it was the bank's fault,” he told PTI.

The Congress leader further said that he had no clue as to why such an old settled case is being raked up.

“The CBI claimed that they had sent a notice. My mother, who lives with Ashok, stays at home all the time and she said no notice came to us. Our advocate said that this case should not have been pursued at all. I do not know why such an old settled case is being raked up,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly also shared with PTI the ASCARD certificate, issued by its General Manager In-Charge H.N. Borah earlier on October 28, 2015, which had mentioned that Ashok Kr Saikia, director of HPS India Pvt Ltd, had availed a loan of Rs 9,37,701 under the bridge loan scheme in 1996.

Issuing a statement through his elder brother, Ashok Saikia said that he had availed the loan in 1996 from The Assam State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Ltd (ASCARD).

Ashok Saikia, a businessman by profession, said: “Later, I repaid the loan as per an ASCARD letter in 2011. The ASCARD general manager in-charge through an official letter, dated October 28, 2015, had stated that no dues were pending.”

“The CBI team suddenly came to our house and said my loan is pending. I did not receive any notice from the CBI or the court,” he added.

Ashok Saikia further said that did not know why the CBI has brought him in a “baseless and fictitious case”.

“Only the CBI or the government will know this,” he added.