Assam: Doboka police station OC held for accepting Rs 10k bribe

Tinsukia: The officer-in-charge (OC) of Doboka police station in Assam’s Hojai district was arrested by a team of anti-corruption bureau around 7.45 pm on Thursday night for demanding and accepting bribe.

The accused, sub-inspector Nilotpal Bhuyan, had allegedly demanded money from the complainant, Arif Laskar, to let him and his cousin Jiarun Hoque off the liability of involvement in a purported criminal case.

The state directorate of vigilance & anti-corruption on Friday: “ACB team arrests Officer in Charge of Daboka PS on charges of accepting illegal gratification and putting complainant under fear of arrest. Dont fear / hesitate to report to us any act of corruption.”

According to sources, based on a complaint by Laskar, who approached the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of the state directorate of vigilance & anti-corruption, a trap was laid and the SI of Assam police was arrested red-handed while accepting Rs 10,000 from the complainant.

“The officer in-charge of Doboka police station Bhuyan was demanding illegal gratification from the complainant Arif Laskar on the pretext that the OC concerned would let the complainant and his cousin Jiarun Hoque off the liability of involvement in a purported criminal case if a sum of Rs 10,000 — Rs 5,000 per person — is paid by the accused,” the directorate of vigilance & anti-corruption said in a press statement.

The press release read: “As the complainant was unwilling to pay the bribe amount to the said public servant, he approached the ACB PS in the directorate of vigilance & anti-corruption, Assam, and accordingly a trap was laid in the matter and the accused was arrested while he was accepting bribe amount of Rs 10,000. The bribe money has been seized from the possession of the accused.”

The ACB PS has registered a case (16/2019) under section 7(a) of Prevention of Corruption act, 1988 (as amended 2018).

The action by ACB comes within a week after two officials of Public Health Engineering (PHE) department of North Lakhimpur division were arrested for demanding and accepting bribe.

Speaking with EastMojo, Anurag Tankha, IGP, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, has appealed the citizens to come forward and share information of corruption with senior officers of the directorate so that department can arrest corrupt officials. Citizens can contact at 0361-2462294, 0361-2462295, 8468832675, 9854032882, 18003453767 (toll-free) to share information and lodge complaints.

A source in the ACB told EastMojo that the accused will be forwarded to the court of special judge in Guwahati after following due procedures.