A Brother’s Name, A Public Office, and A Resignation — What Prompted Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta to Step Aside?

In a significant development, former Director General of Assam Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta has resigned as the State Chief Information Commissioner on Thursday.

According to official sources, Mahanta sent in his resignation letter on the advice of the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma amidst the ongoing controversy over his brother, Shyamkanu Mahanta, whose name has cropped up in connection with the death of popular singer Zubeen Garg.

Mahanta explained his reasons for the decision in detail on a Facebook post.

“I took over as the Chief Information Commissioner on April 5, 2023, after my retirement as DGP, Assam Police. Like in the police service, where I strove to bring sincerity, integrity, and innovation, I also tried to introduce several reforms in the Information Commission,” he wrote.

Among various initiatives during his tenure, Mahanta listed introducing an online system to make the office paperless, ensuring regular hearings and timely disposal of pending applications, facilitating video conference hearings, and publishing a handbook to help citizens understand the Right to Information process better.

He said, "While I am attached sentimentally to the Commission, in the given circumstances, I have decided to resign before completing my tenure."

Also Read: I Am Not Here To Produce Mullahs: Assam CM

Explaining his decision, Mahanta said that it was a call of conscience, “Recently, after the tragic death of artist Zubeen Garg, my brother Shyamkanu Mahanta’s name has been mentioned in connection with the incident. In such a situation, I felt that if any RTI application seeking information related to my brother were to come before the Commission, people might raise questions or doubts. To avoid even the slightest suspicion about the impartiality of my office, I decided to step aside.”

He informed that he had already spoken to the Chief Minister’s Office and instructed his colleagues to intimate him immediately if any such RTI application was received.

"Although no such request had come earlier, recently someone filed an RTI seeking details of government funding to various cultural events involving my brother. The applicant even wrote to me personally expressing complete faith in my honesty and transparency. Still, I felt it appropriate to resign in order to maintain public confidence," Mahanta stated.

Mahanta forwarded his resignation letter to the Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, thanking the latter, the Chief Minister, and all concerned for the support extended to him. “It has been my honor to serve the people of Assam — first as an IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre and later as the Chief Information Commissioner. I will always remain grateful for the opportunity,” he concluded.

Shyamkanu Mahanta, on the other hand, remains in judicial custody at Baksa district jail along with Siddharth Sharma, Sandeepan Garg and two personal security officers of Zubeen Garg, Nandeshwar Bora and Paresh Baishya.

Also Read: Ex-DNLT Cadre Escapes Custody; Haflong Jail on Alert Amid Zubeen Garg Case