CBI files case to probe abetment of suicide of woman PWD officer in Assam

It is alleged that the PWD assistant engineer was under tremendous undue and illegitimate work pressure from her seniors, colleagues and contractors regarding a mini-stadium project

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against an architect and two senior officers of the Public Works Department (PWD), Bongaigaon, Assam, to probe their role in abetting the suicide of an assistant engineer of the department, in July this year.

It is alleged that the PWD officer was forced, coerced, criminally intimidated and threatened to prepare and pass estimates and bills in irregular manner which took a severe toll on her. (Representational image)

It is alleged that the assistant engineer, who was posted at PWD’s Bongaigaon sub-division and was found dead in her house on July 22, was under “tremendous undue and illegitimate work pressure from her seniors, colleagues and contractors” regarding a mini-stadium project of the PWD.

The Assam government had forwarded the probe to the CBI in August.

Those named in the CBI FIR include Debajit Sharma, architect of private firm - Aesthetic Creations; Aminul Islam, sub-divisional officer, PWD, Bongaigaon; and Dinesh Medhi Sharma - executive engineer, PWD.

“It is alleged that the deceased was under tremendous undue and illegitimate work pressure from her seniors/colleagues/ contractors including accused architect of a private company, SDO, PWD, and executive engineer regarding a mini stadium project of PWD. It is also alleged that she was forced, coerced, criminally intimidated and threatened to prepare and pass estimates and bills in irregular manner which took a severe toll on her,” said a CBI spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday.

Days before her death, she had been informing her family about the pressure from superiors, according to the CBI FIR, filed on Monday.

“She had allegedly told her senior officers about the illegitimate demands of her colleagues but she was rebuked and asked to work as per their wishes and harassed her mentally,” the FIR said.

The Assam government had formed a seven-member Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the suspected suicide.

Three accused were arrested in the case. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the case warrants a thorough investigation due to public concern and possible inter-state links.

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