Shutdown in Assam following arrest of Ripun Borah

A 12-hour shutdown began in Assam in the wake of the arrest of sacked Education Minister Ripun Borah by the CBI on murder charge.

Guwahati, June 9 : A 12-hour shutdown began in Assam in the wake of the arrest of sacked Education Minister Ripun Borah by the CBI on murder charge.

The shutdown is called by Asom Gana Parishad and BJP who are demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Borah was arrested by the CBI for allegedly offering a bribe of ten lakh rupees to an agency official.

Borah, who was remanded to judicial custody till June 21, was expelled from the State's ruling Congress party. He is a suspect in murder of his political rival Daniel Toppo in 2000.

The CBI official, probing the murder of the student leader Toppo, filed a complaint on June 2 that the Minister had allegedly offered him a bribe to hush up the case.

He was arrested at his Mathura Road residence. The CBI has registered a case of criminal conspiracy and one under the Prevention of Corruption Act against him.

Toppo, district president of All Assam Tea Tribe Students Union, was Borah's rival candidate during the 1996 Assembly polls.

The CBI was handed over the case in 2001 after the Assam Police failed to make a breakthrough into Toppo's murder on September 27, 2000.

ANI