Assam police nab official for taking bribe

Guwahati, Oct 27 (IANS) Police in Assam’s Dibrugarh district arrested an engineer on Thursday after they caught him red handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh.

The incident took place at the house of the engineer Naba Kumar Patir in Dibrugarh town.

Police said that Patir promised a dentist in the district a government job through the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) and demanded Rs 15 lakh.

"Patir contacted me after I applied for the vacancy advertised by APSC. He said that he would help me get through the selection process of the APSCA and claimed that he has good contacts in APSC," said the dentist.

"However, I contacted the police and asked for their help in getting Patir arrested. Based on my complaint, police raided his house soon after I paid him Rs 10 lakh in cash at his house and caught him red handed."

Patir is an assistant engineer in the Town and Country Planning Department of the government, posted in Dibrugarh.

After taking over as the Chief Minister of Assam in May this year, the Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam government has nabbed six senior government officials while accepting bribes. Most of them are in judicial custody now.