Guwahati, Sep 1 (IANS): Five persons were arrested in Uttar Pradesh for fraudulently withdrawing money from the Assam Chief Minister's relief fund, officials said on Tuesday.

An official of the Assam Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell said that nearly Rs 4 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn through fake cheques in Uttar Pradesh by forging the signature of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

"With the help of Uttar Pradesh police, a seven member team of Chief Minister's Special Vigilance Cell apprehended five accused from different places in Gorakhpur and Basti districts of Uttar Pradesh on August 27. During interrogation they admitted that they committed the crime and also confessed that they had committed similar offences in other states too," the official said.

The detainees were identified as Ravindra Kumar, Sri Lalji, Mohammad Arif, Mohammad Asif and Sarvesh Rao.

The official said: "On August 10, officials of Assam Chief Minister's Secretariat noticed some unusual transactions in CM's Relief Fund. Some fraudulent withdrawals were found. On the Chief Minister's instructions a case was registered on August 12 before the probe was launched."

The detainees were produced in a local court in Basti district and brought to Guwahati on transit remand on Monday.