Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in Assam apprehended a senior forest official in the Kokrajhar district on May 19 following an undercover operation. Abinash Basumatary, the Divisional Forest Officer for the Parbatjhora Forest Division within the Bodoland Territorial Region, was taken into custody while allegedly accepting a bribe inside his office.
The arrest followed a complaint submitted to the vigilance department by an individual who claimed that the officer had demanded a payment of Rs 9.75 lakh to process pending bills. Determined to hold the official accountable, the complainant sought legal intervention, prompting the anti-corruption unit to organize a trap at the officer's workplace in Suparighat.
During the operation, authorities caught Basumatary red-handed as he accepted an initial installment of Rs 2 lakh. Officials seized the marked currency in the presence of independent witnesses, and the officer was immediately taken into custody. A formal case has been registered at the ACB Police Station under Section 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, as amended in 2018. Investigations into the matter remain ongoing as part of established legal procedures.
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