Another key accused in the alleged financial irregularities case of the Assam Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (AFDCL) has been arrested in Odisha, taking the total number of arrests to nine, officials said on Sunday.

The arrested official has been identified as Padma Kanta Hazarika, a former senior official of the AFDCL who served as the Officer on Special Duty (OSD)-cum-Project Director of AFDCL.

He was arrested in Odisha on Saturday night in connection with ACB Police Station Case No. 30/2023 investigated by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam.

According to officials, the case pertains to alleged misappropriation and diversion of government funds within the corporation. After his arrest, Hazarika was produced before a court in Puri, which granted four days of transit remand to the investigating team to bring him to Guwahati for further proceedings.

The Vigilance Department confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that the accused had been arrested by its team in Odisha and that necessary legal formalities, including transit remand, were completed for his transfer to Assam.

Also Read: 8 govt officials held over alleged Assam Fishery Corporation fund scam

"Ref. ACB PS Case No. 30/2023 registered in con with misappropriation of funds of Assam Fisheries Dev. Corporation Ltd. One key accused of the case namely Padma Kanta Hazarika, the then Project Director of the AFDCL has been arrested in Puri, Odisha by @DIR_VAC_ASSAM yesterday," the Vigilance Department said.

Ref. ACB PS Case No. 30/2023 registered in con with misappropriation of funds of Assam Fisheries Dev. Corporation Ltd. One key accused of the case namely Padma Kanta Hazarika, the then Project Director of the AFDCL has been arrested in Puri, Odisha by @DIR_VAC_ASSAM yesterday.

- Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam (@DIR_VAC_ASSAM)

On May 26, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on Tuesday arrested at least eight government officials, including two from the Assam Civil Services (ACS) cadre, in connection with an alleged financial scam.

According to officials, the arrests followed extensive search operations carried out across several locations in Assam, including Guwahati, Belsor in Nalbari district, Gauripur in Dhubri district, and Raha in Nagaon district.