Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi writes to PM Modi, claims ‘irregularities’ in Assam Cooperative Apex Bank

New Delhi: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a probe into the alleged financial irregularities at Assam Cooperative Apex Bank.

The letter, dated March 20, was posted by Gogoi on his X handle on Sunday. “I have written a letter to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji about the need for an inquiry into the financial irregularities at Assam Cooperative Apex Bank because the state government is busy arresting and intimidating the Assamese media,” wrote Gogoi on X.

In the letter, he has cited the arrest of senior journalist, saying that “the unfolding developments raise serious questions about the functioning of the bank, the misuse of legal provisions, and suppression of press freedom in Assam”.

Gogoi says in the letter that on March 25, 2025, the journalist was covering a protest outside the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank and was detained by police.

The Congress leader says that the Chief Minister of Assam serves as the Director and that BJP MLA Shri Biswajit Phukan is the Chairman. “The grounds of his arrest initially included false accusations of caste-based abuse, which were debunked when the Magistrate found no evidence of such allegations in the informant’s statement. Despite being granted bail, he was re-arrested the next day under exaggerated charges of robbery and trespassing into the bank to steal confidential documents. These actions strongly indicate an attempt to silence a journalist reporting on alleged irregularities,” the letter reads.

Gogoi claims in the letter that media reports suggest that the bank has been operating without a formal contract with any IT vendor since June 2024, raising serious security and operational concerns.

“Banking infrastructure costs allegedly surged from Rs 28 crores in 2018 to nearly Rs 150 crores in 2025, with Rs 14 crores allegedly funnelled to KPMG under suspicious circumstances. A complaint was reportedly submitted to the Central Vigilance Commission on January 30, but the state government has remained unresponsive. In a March 3 directive, the Assam government’s Cooperation Department instructed the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to investigate the allegations and submit a report within 15 days. However, protestors dismissed this as a mere formality, alleging that the government was shielding those involved,” Gogoi says in the letter.

“Given these disturbing developments, I urge you to initiate an independent inquiry into the Assam State Co-operative Apex Bank, including a financial audit and review of governance. Additionally, the misuse of police powers in the arbitrary arrest of journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder must be investigated to ensure accountability. It is also imperative to safeguard press freedom and prevent the wrongful targeting of journalists reporting on matters of public interest. The issue extends beyond one journalist – it strikes at the core of our democracy, the transparency of financial institutions, and the protection of constitutional rights. Your immediate intervention is crucial to ensure justice, hold those responsible accountable, and restore public institutions,” the letter mentions.

–IANS