Who is Nupur Bora? Assam officer accused of illegal transfer of Hindus’ land

NEW DELHI: Nupur Bora, a 2019-batch Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer, has found herself at the center of a major corruption scandal after being arrested for alleged involvement in illegal land transfers and possession of disproportionate assets. Only six years into her career, Bora was serving as the circle officer of Goraimari in Kamrup district when the CM’s vigilance cell swooped in on her Guwahati residences. The raids yielded nearly Rs 1 crore in cash, along with diamonds and jewellery worth lakhs, SP Rosie Kalita confirmed. The crackdown followed specific complaints that Bora had been hoarding unexplained wealth. Investigators also linked her to questionable land transactions in Barpeta district, where she previously served. “The government received information that this official was transferring Hindus’ land to another community when she was posted in Barpeta. She has been on our radar for the last six months,” CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, pointing to corruption in revenue circles across minority-dominated areas of the state. Bora’s public persona paints a different picture. Her Instagram account highlights her interests in fashion, décor, and travel. Behind the glamour, however, police say she was amassing assets far beyond her known income. Bora owns two apartments in Guwahati’s Gotanagar neighbourhood, while investigators also searched properties linked to her alleged accomplice, Surajit Deka, in Barpeta. The arrest comes days after the Assam cabinet cleared a new SOP requiring police clearance for inter-religious land transactions, citing concerns over demographic changes and national security. PM Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to the state, also warned about the threat of illegal immigration to Assam’s demographic balance. “This is the 25th case registered with the vigilance cell. The investigation is ongoing, and we may recover more cash and assets,” SP Kalita said.