Anti Corruption Bureau catches APDCL official red handed while taking a bribe of ₹ 80,000

December 8: Prakash Ranjan Dutta, Assistant General Manager, Testing & Commissioning (T&C) Division, Assam Power Distribution Company Ltd (APDCL) has been caught red handed while accepting a bribe of ₹ 80,000 from a contractor. Prakash Ranjan Dutta along with co-accused Jatin Kr Dhekial Phukan, Asstt. Manager, T&C Div, APDCL, Tezpur were arrested by a team of Assam Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).

In this connection, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam issued a press release. In the said release, it was stated that both the accused demanded a bribe of Rs. 1,00,000 Diganta Goswami, Electrical Contractor for giving clearances for installing a Solar Meters Systems and to activate it at the manufacturing Unit of Dabur India Ltd., Ghoramari, Balipara, Tezpur. Later the amount was negotiated down to Rs. 80,000.

The complainant later approached the ACB PS in the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti Corruption, Assam and a case was registered vide ACB PS Case No. 14/2019 U/S 7(a)/13(1)(b)/13(2) of PC Act. A trap was then laid and the AGM was finally nabbed red-handed while accepting the bribe of Rs.80,000 from the complainant Diganta Goswami. The bribe money has been seized from the possession of the accused  by the ACB team. The two APDCL officials were then arrested and produced before the Court of Special Judge, Assam in Guwahati.