Former Assam Police Director General and outgoing Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said he resigned from his post to maintain complete transparency after his brother Shyamkanu Mahanta’s name was mentioned in connection with the Zubeen Garg death case.
After submitting his resignation, Mahanta took to social media and said that he acted on his conscience and decided to step down before any questions could be raised about his neutrality or integrity.
“After retiring as the Director General of Assam Police, I joined the Assam Information Commission as Chief Information Commissioner on April 5, 2023. I tried to perform my duties honestly and bring positive changes. But as my brother’s name was mentioned in connection with the death of artist Zubeen Garg, I felt it would be proper to step down,” Mahanta said. 
He explained that he did not want any public doubt if someone filed a Right to Information (RTI) application related to his brother. “If any RTI application were filed concerning my brother, people might suspect bias. To avoid that, I decided to resign,” he said.
Mahanta said that although no such RTI was filed earlier, a person recently submitted one seeking information from government departments about funds released for cultural events involving Shyamkanu Mahanta. The same applicant also wrote a personal letter to him, expressing faith in his honesty but advising him to avoid handling the matter to ensure fairness.
“I had already told the Chief Minister’s Office that if such a case came up, I should be informed. When the RTI was finally received, I immediately sent my resignation to the Governor,” Mahanta said.
During his tenure as Chief Information Commissioner, Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta took several steps to make the Assam Information Commission more efficient and transparent. He introduced an online RTI system to reduce paperwork, encouraged hearings through video conferencing, and worked to dispose of pending cases quickly. He also took a firm stand against those misusing the RTI Act for personal gain or blackmail.
Mahanta said he was proud of the reforms he introduced and thanked the Governor, the Chief Minister, and his colleagues for their support. “It has been an honour to serve Assam, first as a police officer and later as Chief Information Commissioner. I have always tried to uphold honesty and fairness,” he said.
By stepping down voluntarily, Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta said he wanted to protect the credibility of the office he held. “I did not want even a small question to arise about my impartiality. My conscience told me that this was the right step,” he said.
