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Forest officer caught accepting ₹20k bribe runs with money, held 1km away: Cops
The Assam police said that the ranger ran away from his chamber along with the bribe money and was caught at a distance about 1 km after a hot chase
A forest officer in Assam allegedly caught by vigilance officers accepting a ₹20,000 bribe ran out with the money but was eventually arrested nearly a kilometre away, official said on Wednesday
A video of the incident has now gone viral on social media.
Police said that the range officer named Debabrata Gogoi posted in Jirighat under Cachar Forest Division was arrested under the Assam police’s drive against corruption in government offices.
“Our fight against corruption continues. Today, a team from the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti- Corruption caught red-handed the Forest Range officer with accepted bribe money,” said GP Singh, special director general of police (DGP) (law and order) and director of Vigilance and Anti Corruption Unit (V&AC).
Officials from police department said that the V&AC team set a trap for him after receiving complaints against him from few sources.
“A man on Wednesday morning handed over the cash mixed with chemicals to the forest officer. The V&AC team suddenly entered into the office and asked Gogoi to immerse his hands in a bowl of solution. His crime was confirmed when the solution turned red from pale due to the chemicals,” the officials said.
The range officer tried to flee after that and officials of anti-corruption department chased him around one kilometre to catch him. “Seeing our team the Ranger ran away from his chamber along with bribe money and was caught at a distance about 1 km from Range Office by V&AC team after a hot chase,” GP Singh said.
Several government officials have been arrested in recent times and most of them fell in trap planned by the anti-corruption department. The director of the department has appealed to the common people to inform them when any government officer asks for bribe.
“Please give specific information of demand made by a government employee before giving money. This would allow us to lay trap and catch them red-handed,” Singh wrote on Twitter while replying to a question.
