GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell filed a chargesheet against senior Assam Forest Service (AFS) officer Bhaskar Deka, then DFO of Nagaon Forest Division, on a disproportionate case before the Special Judge here on Thursday.
The 608-page chargesheet was submitted against Deka after receipt of the prosecution sanction accorded by the Department of Environment and Forests against him.
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“The chargesheet has been submitted today vide Vigilance Police Station Chargesheet number 3/2024 under section 13(1)(b)/13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (as amended in 2018)”, an official statement of CM’s Special Vigilance cell stated.
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Deka was arrested on January 18 in connection with case number 5/2022 under sections 13(1) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act registered by the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell.
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During the investigation, it was revealed that Deka along with his wife had earned Rs 4,11,43,591 but his expenditure was Rs 6,39,65,205.
His lively savings (income- expenditure) was Rs 2,28,21,614 but he possessed assets to the tune of Rs 1,32,04,470.
Deka possessed a disproportionate asset (DA) to the tune of Rs 3,60,16,084 against his known sources of income.
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The percentage of DA concerning income is 87.66 per cent.
The case was registered based on a report carried by a vernacular daily on May 5, 2022, alleging that Deka has been running a syndicate of forest in his forest division in league with a section of forest mafias by extorting Rs 15,000/- per truck for transportation of illegally felled trees from the Salana Reserve Forest.
“The income of Bhaskar Deka and his wife from all known legal sources are disproportionate to the assets acquired, even though he is a government officer”, the statement said.
“It was proved that Bhaskar Deka being a public servant had committed criminal misconduct for his pecuniary benefit, and by corrupt, illegal means & by exercise of personal influence he performed his public duty dishonestly,” the statement said.
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“Deka was found to have committed criminal misconduct as he intentionally enriched himself illicitly during the period of his office abusing his position as a public servant”, it also said.
“It was found that Bhaskar Deka conducted foreign visits without permission from the competent authority. It was also found that the accused was trying to liquidate the disproportionate assets in his favour and his family members. Therefore, he was arrested on January 18, 2024, as he did not hand over the Indian passport. After arrest he was remanded to 5 days police custody”, the state also stated.
“During the investigation, the engaged empanelled Chartered Accountant firm had analyzed and conducted forensic auditing of all his financial transactions and details of his immoveable and moveable properties and found the Percentage of the Disproportionate Assets accrued by Bhaskar Deka to be 183%. He possessed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 5,38,16,763 against his known sources of Income”, it added.
The investigation of the case has been kept open U/S 173(8) of CrPC for criminal conspiracy and abetment by another person with the arrested accused Bhaskar Deka, AFS, DFO, (U/S) for the charges of accumulation of disproportionate assets.