HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 17: In a significant crackdown against corruption, the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, has successfully apprehended individuals involved in bribery cases, leading to the arrest of public servants.
In the first case, a complaint reached the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, accusing Manuj Kumar Saikia, executive engineer of PWD(R&B) Haflong Division, of demanding a bribe of Rs 55,000 from the complainant for the release of pending bills. The bribe amount was later negotiated to Rs 25,000. In response to the complaint, a trap was set in the office of the executive engineer, PWD(R&B) Haflong Division. Manuj Kumar Saikia was caught accepting Rs 10,000 as part of the demanded bribe, resulting in his arrest.
In another such case, a complaint was submitted to the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Debasish Barman, Lot Mandal at the office of the circle officer in Tihu Revenue Circle, Nalbari, demanded a bribe of Rs 2,00,000 from the complainant for resolving land-related matters concerning his father’s property. The bribe amount was later reduced to Rs 1,40,000. Refusing to succumb to the demand, the complainant sought legal action against the accused.
In response, a trap was set by the Directorate’s team on Thursday, at the office of the circle officer, Tihu. Nayan Barman, a middleman, was caught red-handed at 1:30 PM, accepting Rs 5,000 as part of the bribe, on behalf of Lot Mandal Debasish Barman. The tainted money was seized, and both Nayan Barman and Debasish Barman were apprehended for their involvement in the bribery scheme. The case has been registered under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The Directorate’s actions are aimed at curbing corruption within government agencies and ensuring transparency and fairness in administrative processes.
