Assam: Suspended UPPL member's photo of sleeping with bundles of money stirs row
Kokrajhar (Assam), Mar 27: A viral picture purportedly of a suspended United People's Party Liberal's (UPPL) member sleeping with currency notes has triggered a controversy in Assam ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
In the image, the authenticity of which PTI could not independently verify, Benjamin Basumatary, identified in the photograph as a Village Council Development Committee (VCDC) member of UPPL, is seen sleeping on a bed wearing only a traditional towel with a heap of Rs 500 denomination notes.
Though Basumatary could not be contacted, sources close to him claimed the photo was an old one and deliberately made viral to gain "political mileage" during the elections.
The UPPL also sought to distance itself from the image, stating that Basumatary has been suspended and removed from the VCDC post.
UPPL chief and Bodoland Territorial Council Chief Executive Member Pramod Boro claimed that the Harisingha Block Committee of the party had recommended disciplinary action against Basumatary on January 5 this year and accordingly he was suspended on January 10 over the photograph.
"Additionally, the BTC Government suspended and removed him from the post of VCDC Chairman on 10th February, 2024. I urge all media outlets and social media users to refrain from linking Mr Basumatry with UPPL," he said in a post on X.
Boro further said that Basumatary's actions are solely his own responsibility and the party is not accountable for any of his personal acts.
🚨 Important Notice 🚨
— Pramod Boro (@PramodBoroBTR) March 27, 2024
A photo of Benjamin Basumatry is circulating widely on social media. We want to clarify that Mr. Basumatry is no longer associated with UPPL as he was suspended from the party on 10th January, 2024, and disciplinary action was taken against him after… pic.twitter.com/jpSeSHMynC
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Advocate found dead in car on Nainital court premises
Nainital (PTI): A 55-year-old advocate allegedly died by suicide after shooting himself inside his car at the Nainital district court parking lot here on Monday, police said.
According to the police, Puran Singh Bhakuni, a resident of Mallital, was found in the rear seat of his vehicle with a gunshot wound to his temple.
Police recovered a licensed pistol from his hand and a suicide note from the car’s dashboard. The note stated that Bhakuni was unwell and suffering from depression.
"We received information through lawyers around noon. The deceased was lying in the back seat with a pistol in his hand and blood near his ear," Circle Officer Anjana Negi said.
Forensic teams and ballistic experts reached the spot to collect evidence, as no witness reported hearing the gunshot.
Government counsel Sushil Sharma stated that Bhakuni left home at 9 am and was found dead at 9.30 am.
Sharma raised concerns over the circumstances, noting that the body was in the rear seat, and demanded a thorough probe to rule out foul play. Bhakuni, who worked as a notary, had married six months ago, he said.
Police took the body into custody and sent it for a postmortem to confirm the cause of death.
The forensic laboratory will examine the suicide note and the ballistics of the weapon, the police said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.
