CBI arrests accused in FCI official murder case

New Delhi: The CBI has arrested a person allegedly involved in kidnapping of a top FCI official, P C Ram, who was found dead three months after his abduction by suspected ULFA militants in Assam in April 2007.

The accused, Nareshwar Basumatary, who has been remanded in police custody till June 12 by special court in Guwahati on Sunday had said during interrogation that he was a member of NDFB, a militant organisation in Assam, and was involved in the kidnapping of FCI executive director Ram, according to CBI sources.

The accused has allegedly revealed that victim was later handed over to ULFA for collection of ransom, the sources said.

Official of Food Corporation of India, Ram was kidnapped in Guwahati while returning from his office on April 17, 2007.

Later a ransom call of Rs 21 crore was allegedly made on the behalf of the ULFA for releasing the officer, a CBI spokesperson said in New Delhi.

His body was recovered three months later on July 12 after Assam police conducted an operation at a suspected ULFA hideout in village Borka in Kamrup district, he said.

After allegations surfaced that Ram was killed during the encounter, Assam government handed over the case to CBI which started a probe on November 26, 2007.