A divisional forest officer (DFO) was arrested on Tuesday by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (V&AC) after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe in the Kokrajhar district of Assam.
The senior forest official, identified as Abinash Basumatary, serving as the DFO of Parbatjhora forest division under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 9.75 lakh from a complainant in exchange for facilitating the release of pending bill payments.
According to an official statement issued by the V&AC, the complainant, unwilling to meet the illegal demand, approached the anti-corruption agency seeking legal intervention. Acting swiftly on the complaint, a planned trap operation was carried out today at the DFO's office located in Suparighat, Kokrajhar.
During the operation, Basumatary was caught in his office chamber immediately after accepting Rs 2 lakh as part-payment of the total demanded bribe amount. Officials confirmed that the tainted cash was recovered from his possession and seized in the presence of independent witnesses, strengthening the evidentiary basis of the case.
Following the successful trap, a case has been registered at the Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station under Case No. 16/2026. The charges have been framed under Section 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Authorities stated that sufficient evidence has been established against the accused, leading to his immediate arrest. He is currently in custody, and further legal proceedings are underway.
The Directorate has reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, urging citizens to come forward and report instances of bribery and misconduct within government departments.