The sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on Saturday arrested one Lat Mandal under graft charges in Guwahati city.

The Lat Mandal identified as Achyut Das, posted at Guwahati Revenue Circle was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 5,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant for processing mutation works.

Earlier, a complaint was received at this Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Achyut Das, Lat Mandal of office of the Circle Officer, Guwahati Revenue Circle, Kamrup Metropolitan district, demanded Rs.9,000 as bribe from the complainant for processing mutation works of the complainant. Later, the Lat Mandal had reduced the amount of bribe to Rs. 8,000.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached this Directorate for taking necessary legal action against the above-mentioned public servant.

Accordingly, a trap was laid today by a team from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, in the office of the Circle Officer, Guwahati Revenue Circle, Ulubari, Kamrup Metropolitan district.

Das was caught red handed at 1:40 PM. The tainted bribe money has been recovered from his possession and has been seized accordingly, in presence of independent witnesses.

During body search of the abovementioned public servant, an additional amount of Rs. 9,500 has been recovered from his pocket and has also been seized in presence of independent witnesses.

Finding sufficient evidence against the accused public servant, he has been arrested by the team of the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam.

In this connection, a case has been registered in ACB Police Station on August, 2023 vide ACB P.S. Case No. 65/2023 under Section 7(a) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).

Necessary legal follow up action is underway.