Assam forest officials caught taking bribe, arrested

GUWAHATI

The vigilance and anti-corruption bureau of Assam Police arrested a Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) and Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) in Lakhimpur district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a tractor owner.

Jadav Chandra Nath, DFO, North Lakhimpur, and Jasimuddin Ahmed, ACF, North Lakhimpur were caught red-handed by the anti-corruption team while they were accepting the bribe from the complainant, Md Zamiruddin of Gohan Dooni, Lakhimpur.

The police team recovered cash in two envelopes of Rs 25000 each from the possession of DFO Nath.

The accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 1.85 lakh from the complainant to return his detained tractor and timber. However, after negotiation, the bribe amount came down to Rs 50,000 as advance with an assurance to pay the remaining Rs 1.35 lakh at the time of releasing the tractor and timber.

“The complainant had approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) police station in the directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption, Assam and after the inquiry into the allegation a trap was laid according to the standard procedure,” an official statement said.

A case has been registered in the ACB police station.