After three days of sensation over a video footage with a huge amount of cash from the house of a police constable in Salema under Dhalai district and detention of 16 persons including two police constables, one TSR rifleman, and a female employee of the Health Department, finally on Monday police has arrested one TSR rifleman and his wife, a women police constable under various sections of BNS. They are currently being interrogated at Ambassa and NCC police stations.
Police sources said that police on Monday arrested Ajit Debbarma (48), a TSR rifleman of 4th battalion and his wife, Menaka Debbarma (43), a women police constable, posted at East Agartala women police station, both residents of Abhoynagar on the outskirts of Agartala.
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday said that after watching the viral video on social media, he directed the concerned officials to take appropriate action against the accused persons.
“We never hide or protect anyone accused of a crime. Law will take its own course,” the Chief Minister told the media.
According to reports, the incident came to light after videos showing bundles of Rs 500, Rs 2,000 and Rs 100 currency notes inside the house of police constable Piyush Debbarma of Tatapani village under Salema police station went viral on social media.
Police, however, are yet to recover any cash from the residence of the concerned woman, who is the wife of a police constable.
Director General of Police Anurag Dhankar reportedly expressed strong dissatisfaction over the incident and directed senior officials to immediately rush to the area and take stringent action against all those involved.
Acting on the instructions of the police chief, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Manchak Ipper, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Rati Ranjan Debnath, Dhalai district Superintendent of Police Rushikesh Jaysing Desai, and several other senior officials launched an intensive investigation into the matter.
Police officials said that around 16 persons had been detained or questioned till late Sunday night in connection with the case.
While, on Monday evening SDPO (Kamalpur) Samudra Debbarma said that during investigation of the case, police have registered a specific case under sections of 318(4), 61(2),(A), 351(3), 356 (2)/3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita(BNS) and produced Ajit Debbarma and his wife Menaka Debbarma before the subdivisional court of Kamalpur with seven days police remand for interrogation.
After hearing, Justice Madhumita Biswas sent both accused for seven days police custody for interrogation.
Police suspect the involvement of an interstate racket linked to illegal financial dealings and drug trafficking. Sources said cash amounting to nearly Rs 50 crore has come under the scanner during the investigation.
Following the viral video, DIG Rati Ranjan Debnath instructed SP(Dhalai) Rushikesh Desai to initiate an investigation. A team comprising SDPO (Ambassa) Nirupan Datta and Salema police station OC Dipak Das raided the residence of constable Piyush Debbarma. During interrogation of his wife Nandarani Debbarma, the name of another woman, Sanjana Debbarma, surfaced. Sanjana, who works as an optometrist in the Health Department, was subsequently detained.
Later, police also detained Piyush Debbarma and questioned him extensively. During interrogation, several crucial details reportedly emerged. Sanjana allegedly told police that Nandarani had cheated her of nearly Rs 4 crore and that the money was in Nandarani’s possession.
Investigators suspect that Nandarani Debbarma, Sanjana Debbarma and Piyush Debbarma are not the only persons involved, and that a larger network may be operating behind the scenes. TSR rifleman Ajit Debbarma and his wife, a woman constable posted at East Agartala Women police station, Menaka Debbarma, were also detained on Saturday night. They are being interrogated at NCC police station and officially on Monday both were arrested.
Ajit Debbarma is currently posted in the 4th Battalion of TSR and had recently been transferred there from the police headquarters, where he served for nearly 12 years. Police also suspect the involvement of another TSR jawan named Bijoy Debbarma and a young doctor believed to be Sanjana Debbarma’s husband.
Meanwhile, Nandarani herself filed a complaint at Salema police station alleging that she became a victim after the cash video was made viral and she also claimed that the money shown in the video are from land sold. She also demanded before police to properly investigate and there was no money collected from any illegal business.
Police are now investigating the source of the money and whether it was obtained through fraud or linked to drug trafficking. Officials suspect the funds may have originated from illegal narcotics operations involving substances brought in from outside the state.
SDPO Nirupan Datta said, “We are thoroughly investigating the matter. Nandarani, Sangna and Piyush are being interrogated.” Salema police station OC Dipak Das added, “Nandarani and Sanjana Debbarma have filed complaints claiming they themselves were cheated. Only after a complete investigation will the truth emerge.”