Guwahati , July 29: Teams from the Assam vigilance and anti-corruption directorate caught two state government officials while taking bribes in separate operations on Friday.
Barasha Borah Bordoloi, superintendent of excise, Morigaon, was caught red handed after she accepted a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant in her office chamber.
According to official sources, the excise superintendent had demanded a sum of Rs one lakh as bribe from the complainant for converting his bar license from IMFL ‘ON’ to IMFL ‘OFF’.
“Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the superintendent of police, Morigaon, who in turn took up the matter with the vigilance directorate for taking necessary legal action.
“Accordingly, a trap was laid today near the office chamber of the accused officer situated in the office of the deputy commissioner, Morigaon jointly by a team from the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption and Morigaon district police,” an official statement said.
The tainted bribe money was seized from the possession of the excise superintendent in the presence of independent witnesses.
“An additional amount of Rs 20000 has also been recovered from the bag of the public servant in her office chamber soon after the operation. This amount has also been seized by the investigating officer of the case,” the statement said.
A case has been registered in ACB (anti-corruption bureau) police station vide ACB police station case number 19/2022 under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) against the accused officer. Necessary legal follow up action is underway.
In the other instance, Nabojyoti Sarma, a head teacher of Phatika Chuwa L.P. School, who has been working in the office of the block elementary education officer (BEEO), Khowang, Dibrugarh had demanded bribe from the complainant for supplying the complainant a copy of his service book.
Unwilling to pay the bribe the complainant approached the vigilance directorate for legal action.
Accordingly, a trap was laid at the BEEO office, Khowang, and caught the accused head teacher while accepting the demanded bribe from the complainant on Friday afternoon.
The bribe amount was seized from the possession of Sarma in the presence of independent witnesses.
A case has been registered under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) against the accused head teacher and necessary follow-up action is underway.
IANS