GUWAHATI: Two government officials and a middleman, including a police inspector, were arrested by the sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in Assam on graft charges on Wednesday.

Inspector (UB) Ajay Kumar Handique, officer in charge of Dhula Police Station in Darrang district was caught-handed after he accepted Rs 5,000 as a bribe for giving him relief in a criminal case.

Handique had demanded Rs 3.20 lakh as a bribe from the complainant for giving him relief in a criminal case, even though he is the complainant of the case. Later, he had reduced the amount to Rs 1 lakh.

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“Based on a complaint, a trap was laid today by a team from the DVACat Tangi Chariali Petrol Pump under Dhula PS. Mukhtar Hussain, a middleman was caught red-handed, immediately after he accepted Rs 5,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant on behalf of Inspector (UB) Ajay Kumar Handique,” police said. 

“The bribe money was recovered from his possession and has been seized. Inspector (UB) Ajay Kumar Handique was also apprehended for demanding a bribe and accepting it through Muktar Hussain, in conspiracy with him,” they said.

A case was registered in ACB Police Station vide ACB PS case No 103/2023 under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

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In another operation the vigilance team arrested Pranita Baishya, senior assistant in the office of the sub-registrar cum marriage officer, Boko in Kamrup district had demanded Rs. 4,0500 as a bribe from the complainant for processing mutation-related work. 

“Based on a complaint, a trap was laid today in the office of the sub-registrar cum marriage officer, Boko. Pranita Baishya was caught red-handed in the office, immediately after she accepted Rs 4,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant,” police also said. 

“The bribe money was recovered from her. The accused public servant was arrested and a case was registered in ACB Police Station on vide ACB PS case No 102/2023 under Section 120(B) IPC, R/W Section 7(a) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018),” they added.