HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 22: In a landmark judgment on Wednesday, a court of special judge in Assam delivered a verdict, convicting Bhagyeswar Hazarika on charges of bribery, said an official statement.
The court sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 3,000 or in default, an additional one-month imprisonment under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
He has also been sentenced to 4 years rigorous imprisonment and fine of Rs 5,000 or in default rigorous imprisonment of two months u/s 13(2) of the PC Act. Both the sentences will run concurrently.
“A complaint was received on 28/03/2018 at this Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Assam, alleging that SI(UB) Bhagyeswar Hazarika, posted at Bakalia police station in Karbi Anglong district had demanded Rs 3,000 as bribe from the complainant for releasing his bike. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant had approached this Directorate for taking necessary legal action against the above-mentioned public servant,” the statement added.
Accordingly, a trap was laid on 28/03/2018 by a team from DVAC at the above said police station where Hazarika was caught red handed in presence of independent witnesses immediately after he accepted Rs 3,000 as demanded bribe from the complainant.
“The tainted bribe money was recovered from his possession and was seized accordingly in presence of independent witnesses and a case was charge sheeted on 29/3/2019,” the statement concluded.
