Over Rs 54 lakh recovered, Assam’s Irrigation secretary arrested

Guwahati: In the biggest haul of cash from the official chamber of any government official in Assam so far, sleuths of vigilance and anti-corruption wing of Assam police recovered Rs 42.79 lakh from the office chamber of state’s Irrigation Secretary Kujendra Doley and another amount of Rs 11.25 lakh from the city residence of the official in simultaneous raids carried out on the basis of tip-off provided by a contractor of the department.
The official was also caught red-handed while taking bribe from the contractor in him official chamber at the state’s secretariat complex in Dispur.
Sleuths also recovered Rs 11.25 lakh from the residence of the official in a simultaneous raid along with six bank pass books, LIC policies and investment documents. That made total recovery Rs 54.04 lakh.
“The senior officer was arrested after the recovery of cash from his office chamber – Rs 39.50 lakh from a steel almirah and Rs 3.29 lakh from a drawer in his secretarial table — as well from his residence on Tuesday,” Additional DG of Vigilance and anti-corruption wing Y Gautom formed on Wednesday.
The accused Irrigation Secretary, Doley who was allegedly collecting money taking name of the Irrigation minister Ranjit Dutta, had demanded Rs 85 lakh from a contractor, Palash Ranjan Baruah to clear a Rs 27 lakh bill due to him. The contractor then contacted the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption wing of Assam police.
“I have now requested the chief minister and the chief secretary to take action against the secretary Doley. The drive against corrupt and corruption launched by the BJP government will continue. It is for the first time such a raid has been allowed in the state’s secretariat.” Ranjit Dutta said. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal stated that the raid carried out at the office chamber of a secretary-level officer reflected the commitment of the BJP-led government to weed out corruption from the system. “The people have given us mandate to root out corruption and we are going to do it,” Sonowal said.