Assam to Hand Over PWD Engineer Joshita Das Death Case to CBI

Bowing to massive public pressure and the gravity of the case, the Assam government has resolved to hand over the investigation into the death of 26-year-old PWD engineer Joshita Das to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma following a high-level cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Sarma described the case as “deeply disturbing,” stating that the circumstances surrounding the young engineer’s alleged suicide demanded “a neutral and high-level probe to uncover the truth.” He confirmed that Assam’s Chief Secretary had already held preliminary discussions with CBI Director Praveen Sood, who has “informally consented” to take up the case once the Union Home Ministry grants the mandatory clearance. The handover process, Sarma added, could take up to three weeks, though the state would press for urgency.

Das, employed as a junior engineer in Bongaigaon, was discovered dead in her rented apartment on July 22. Investigators recovered a note in which she accused two senior officials in her department—SDO Aminul Islam and Executive Engineer Dinesh Medhi—of forcing her to manipulate project estimates and clear pending bills prior to the completion of work.

In the wake of the allegations, both officers were arrested, along with a third person whose name has not yet been released by authorities. The incident has ignited widespread outrage across Assam, with protests and demands for an impartial probe resonating from professional associations and political circles alike.

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