Assam government official caught while accepting bribe

An Assam Irrigation Department assistant engineer was caught red-handed receiving a bribe in the Baksa district.

The Assam Police Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (V&AC) wing detained the assistant engineer on Wednesday in Baksa's Suklai Serfang Goreswar Division (Irrigation). 

He had sought Rs 30,000 in bribes from the complainant after being granted a contract in the Irrigation Division. 
 
Later, the bribe amount was reduced to Rs 25,000 by the accused. 

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"Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached this Directorate for taking necessary legal action against the above-mentioned public servant," an official statement said. 

As a result, a team of V&AC sleuths set a trap, and the official was caught red-handed soon after accepting Rs 20,000 as part of the requested bribe from the complainant's friend, it added. 

"The tainted bribe money has been recovered from the accused public servant's possession and has been seized accordingly in the presence of independent witnesses," according to the statement.

An additional Rs 10,000 was recovered from the official's possession during the physical search, it added. 

"Finding sufficient evidence against the accused public servant, he has been arrested by the team of the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam. Necessary legal follow-up action is underway," the statement said.