The directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption caught a forest officer red-handed while accepting a bribe in Assam's Golaghat district on Friday.
A statement from the anti-corruption unit mentioned that AFS officer Gobinda Taid at the Jamuguri forest range in Golaghat district had demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant in order to allow the movement of the latter's vehicles carrying forest products.
The complainant approached the body against the public servant and urged them to take action based on which a trap was laid on Friday by a team of the directorate in the office of the Jamuguri forest range.
The accused Gobinda Taid was then caught red-handed in his office chamber immediately after he accepted the bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant.
The bribe money was then recovered and seized in the presence of independent witnesses, as mandated by the procedure, the statement mentioned.
Meanwhile, a further search of the office chamber of the accused forest officer led to the recovery of an additional amount of Rs 60,000 from the laptop bag of the accused which was also seized.
Subsequently, a case was registered at the ACB Police Station numbered 19/2024 under section 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He was arrested based on sufficient evidence against his involvement in corrupt practices. Further legal measures have been initiated against him.
