Assam: 3 forest officials including DFO held on bribery charges

Three forest officials who were arested on charges of bribery were identified as Binod Kumar Payeng, DFO of Dhubri; Ziaul Islam and Sahabaz Sultan, alias Bittu, Forester Grade-1.  Rajib Saikia, Joint Director of DIPR, Assam, said in a press statement that “a complaint was received at the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that Binod Kumar Payeng, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Dhubri Division, demanded Rs 50,000 as a one time bribe from the complainant for allowing unhindered movement of vehicles from his Sand Mahal, within the jurisdiction of DFO Dhubri.”

“Binod Kumar Payeng, DFO, Dhubri, then directed the complainant to meet his subordinate officers to fix a monthly system of payment of bribes. Accordingly, the complainant met the subordinate officers in the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhubri Division, who further demanded a bribe of Rs 4 lakh. Later, after consulting with the DFO, they reduced the amount of the bribe to Rs 2 lakh. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Directorate for taking necessary legal action in the matter,” Rajib Saikia said.

He further said that, accordingly, a trap was laid today by a team from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, in the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhubri Division, under Dhubri district.
“Ziaul Islam and Sahabaz Sultan, alias Bittu, both Forester Grade-1 were caught red-handed immediately after they accepted Rs 15,000 and Rs 5,000, respectively, as part of the demanded bribe, in conspiracy with the DFO Dhubri. The tainted bribe money has been recovered from their possession and has been seized accordingly, in the presence of independent witnesses.

Binod Kumar Payeng, DFO, was also apprehended for demanding a bribe from the complainant and accepting it through his subordinates in conspiracy with them. After finding sufficient evidence against all three accused public servants, they have been arrested by the team of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam,” Rajib Saikia said.

In this connection, a case was registered in the ACB Police Station on  September 9 under Section 120(B) of the IPC, read with Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), the police said.
The necessary legal follow-up action is underway.