North Lakhimpur: In a significant breakthrough, Hasina Begum, the key figure implicated in the fake gold trade of Lakhimpur’s Bangalmora, has been arrested by the Assam Police on graft charges.
She was accused of extorting protection money from fake gold traders, claiming to be acting on behalf of police officials.
A team from Bihpuria Police Station apprehended Hasina Begum and her accomplice, Fakaruddin, from a lodge in Guwahati.
They were produced before a judicial magistrate, who remanded them to three days of police custody.
Earlier, a raid on Hasina’s residence in Bangalmora yielded four pieces of fake gold artefacts and cash worth Rs 5,310.
This arrest is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the fake gold trade in the region.
Hasina Begum had previously made headlines in May 2023, following the mysterious death of police officer Junmoni Rabha.
At that time, she alleged a police-conman nexus in the fake gold and counterfeit currency trade, while also being accused of demanding money from individuals involved in the fake gold trade.
The current arrest is related to similar allegations, with Hasina Begum accused of demanding money from fake gold traders to be paid to the Officer in Charge of Bihpuria Police Station.