An officer of the Dholai Fire and Emergency Service Station in Assam's Cachar district was trapped and arrested red-handed for accepting bribe on Friday.

A complaint was received at the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Sub Officer Basanta Sinha, in-charge of Dholai Fire and Emergency Service Station in Cachar had demanded Rs. 25,000 as a bribe from the complainant in connection with the issue of Fire Safety NOC.

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

Accordingly, a trap was laid today, by a team from the Anti-Corruption cell near Nagatilla Fire and Emergency Service Station in Silchar. Basanta Sinha was caught red-handed in the residence of one of his colleagues near Nagatilla immediately after he accepted Rs. 8,000 as part of the demanded bribe from the complainant.

The tainted bribe money has been recovered from his possession and has been seized accordingly, in the presence of independent witnesses.

In this connection, a case has been registered in ACB Police Station vide ACB P.S. Case No. 30/2024, under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

Finding sufficient evidence against Sub Officer Basanta Sinha, he has been arrested in connection with the case.