Treasury Officer & 7 Staff arrested for taking bribes for releasing bills

April 1: Upon receiving substantial findings during inquiry by the Deputy Commissioner, Karbi Anglong, Diphu, Mukul Kumar Saikia lodged a FIR with Diphu Police Station against Amarendra Sharma, Treasury Officer, Diphu and 7 other staff of the said Treasury by directing the police to arrest the erring officials under appropriate Sections of the CRPC, IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

On the basis of the FIR, the Diphu Treasury office was sealed  on Monday by Mukul Kumar Saikia, the Deputy Commissioner of Karbi Anglong and Returning Officer of Diphu and Howraghat Election districts in presence of Additional Deputy Commissioner and Magistrate Norsing Bey and Additional Superintendent of Police Dibyojyoti Talukdar. While sealing the office, ADC Bey informed the media that the police have found some materials along with cash of Rs. 4000 of 500 denomination from the chamber of the treasury officer.

It needs mention here that complaints were received by the Deputy Commissioner Karbi Anglong time and again against this Treasury Officer and his staff about taking bribes from the employees, contractors and pensioners for clearing bills. The contractors, pensioners and employees leveled allegations of demanding bribes against Treasury Officer Amarendra Sharma. The Treasury Officer allegedly demanded 1% on the amount of a bill to be cleared as a bribe.

Apart from the Treasury Officer Amarendra Sharma, the 7 staff against whom the FIR was lodged includes Accountant Hemanjali Handique, Ujjal Kumar Tanti, Mangal Ram Deo, Abhishek Das, Lonima Rongchehonpi, Utpal Gowami and Bimal Basumatary.