A CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) HB Abo and Range Forest Officer (RFO) Rilin Ngulom of Banderdewa circle were arrested by a team of police from the Special Investigation Cell (Vigilance) on Monday following a complaint of bribery filed by one Nabam Akam.
According to the complainant, the DFO and RFO demanded a bribe of 20 per cent from his tender work of Rs 7 lakh. Akam had earlier won a tender for the construction of a tall avenue plant with a bamboo guard under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) in the year 2018-19.
Akam had completed the work in the year 2020, however, he was paid 60 per cent of payment while the rest was kept pending by the DFO. On April 24, Akam visited the DFO office and met the RFO, who said that the remaining payment could only be received if 20 per cent of the amount is paid in bribe.
According to the complaint letter, the RFO stated that the 20 per cent bribe was mandatory for all contractors. Akam on the next day went to the RFO office with a mobile on video mode kept inside his shirt pocket. He reordered the entire conversation on the mobile. During the conversation, it was revealed by the RFO that the 20 per cent of bribe is supposed to be divided among the officers and staff of the office.
Under compulsion, Akam paid Rs 56,000 to the RFO on the day. Subsequently, RFO passed the bill and a cheque was sent to the office of DFO for final approval.
On April 29, Akam went to the office of DFO to ascertain whether he directed the 20 per cent bribe to the RFO, to which the DFO admitted. Before entering the office, Akam had recorded the entire conversation in his mobile kept inside his shirt pocket.
The DFO said it is established practice to cut 20 per cent of the total bill amount which is later distributed among the officers.
SP (SIC-Vigilance) SP Hemant Tiwari informed that a written complaint along with one pen drive containing three videos and voice recording was received by the police department last Friday.
Accordingly, a case vides SIC (VIG) PS Case No.07/2021 US 120(B) IPC R/W Sec. 7 of PC (Amendment) Act 2018 was registered. Following the arrest, the accused were later sent to TRIHMS for a medical checkup.