Key accused in Guwahati suicide case in 5-day custody

Guwahati: The CJM of Kamrup (Metro) court on Saturday sent Pulin Gogoi to police custody in connection with the deaths of four persons, including a toddler, in a city hotel on Wednesday. City police had sought two weeks' remand to quiz him, but the court granted only five days.
Pulin, arrested at Pathalibam Dehingia village in Dibrugarh district on Friday, was the mastermind behind a job racket along with Prasanta Kumar.He is accused of cheating Prasant, who committed suicide along with his family members after he went broke.
The accused, however, denied the charges. On his way to the court, Pulin told the media, "I knew Prasanta only on business terms and all charges are false."
A police source said the accused, a diabetic, was admitted to Assam Medical College and Hospital for a medical examination, after his arrest. He was handed over to Dispur Police on Wednesday.
Prasanta, in a suicide note addressing chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Assam Police chief Mukesh Sahay, claimed that Pulin had cheated him, because of which he was compelled to take the extreme step with his family. The note added that Pulin had collected Rs 77 lakh from 62 people through him, promising them government jobs - a promise he eventually failed to keep. Some of the job aspirants started pressurizing Prasanta to return their money and the latter committed suicide because of the pressure, the note said.
The source said Prasanta's brother, who has filed a case against Pulin Gogoi, has already confirmed that the handwriting of the note matched his brother's. The forensic laboratory here is analysing the suicide note.
City police commissioner Hiren Nath has announced a special investigation team, headed by additional deputy commissioner of police (east) Bibekananda Das, is being set up to investigate the matter.