Dhubri, Sep 6 (PTI) Police have arrested two more officials of the Panchayat and Rural Department for allegedly siphoning off development funds to the tune of Rs 52.72 lakh.

Altogether, four people have been apprehended in connection with the scam pertaining to the department under Gauripur Development Block in Assam's Dhubri district.

Also Read | Vivo X70 Series Global Launch Postponed, Check New Launch Date Here.

Gauripur Block Development Officer (BDO) Khabir Uddin Ahmed and the accountant of the same block, Akhirul Islam, were held on Sunday.

Earlier, two accredited engineers, Saddam Hussain and Abdullah Al-Masud Mollah, were arrested from a remote location of West Bengal on August 26, police said.

Also Read | Javed Akhtar’s Taliban-RSS Remarks Aimed at Creating Confusion in Society: VHP; Seeks Action.

A case was registered against the two engineers and a contractor, Jahidul Hoque, on July 8.

According to the FIR, the engineers had cleared bills worth Rs 52.70 lakh, while the contractor submitted fake bills to the department, which were cleared without ascertaining facts.

“During the course of investigation, involvement in siphoning the amount by the concerned BDO and accountant of the block came to light…” Officer in Charge of Dhubri Sadar Police Station Partha Pratim Gogoi said.

A search operation is underway to nab the contractor, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)