A team of Vigilance & Anti-corruption, led by a lady DSP, on Wednesday caught a lady agriculture development officer (ADO) of the Darrang district agriculture department red-handed while taking a bribe from a local paddy grower.
The arrested agriculture development officer (ADO) has been identified as Jyoti Rekha Das.
Das, posted at Kharupetia under Dalgaon agriculture sub-division, was allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 15,000 from a farmer, identified as Jainal Abedin, with a promise to issue a certificate for sale of his paddy to different purchasing agencies including the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED).
The officer was arrested from a place near her rented house at Santipur in Mangaldai.
According to sources in the district agriculture office, Jyoti Rekha Das joined the district as an agriculture development officer in the month of February last after her transfer from Assam’s Sonitpur district.
Meanwhile, talking to Northeast Now, Jyotish Nath, district agriculture officer, said, “So far, no ADO is allowed to issue any certificate as we are yet to get necessary correspondence from the purchasing agencies regarding dates of starting the process.”
The Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam tweeted on Wednesday: “As part of drive against corruption, today, a team of Directorate Vigilance & Anti Corruption Assam, caught red-handed Smti Jyoti Rekha Das, Agriculture Development Officer, Kharupetia, Darrang while receiving bribe of Rs.15000/-.”
The Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam said she was also accused in the Assam Public Service Service Commission (APSC) recruitment scam.
A case (no. 159/ 2017) was registered at Bhangagarh police station in Guwahati against Jyoti Rekha Das for her alleged involvement in the APSC recruitment scam and a charge-sheet was filed in connection with the case.
“The arrested public servant Smti Jyoti Rekha Das is an accused in Bhangagarh PS Case no. 159/ 2017 which is registered in connection with recruitment scam in APSC. Chargesheet has been submitted against her in above-mentioned case,” Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam added.
