GUWAHATI: In a concerning series of events, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in Assam has recently made several arrests exposing rampant corruption involving Lat Mandals. These officials, entrusted with processing important administrative tasks, have been caught accepting bribes in exchange for expediting paperwork and issuing crucial documents. The latest incidents shed light on the pervasive corruption plaguing the state's administrative machinery.
On Monday, the anti-corruption cell arrested Lat Mandal Nabajyoti Nath at the Morigaon Revenue Circle in Morigaon district. Nath was apprehended in front of the Morigaon Circle Office while accepting Rs. 15,000 as a bribe for processing a mutation request. This arrest marks the fiftieth case this year where individuals have been caught in bribery traps.
Earlier, on June 14, two Lat Mandals were arrested for their involvement in bribery. Jalaluddin Sheikh, a Lat Mandal at the Bhuragaon Revenue Circle in Morigaon, was caught at his residence accepting Rs. 20,000 as a bribe for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for a brick kiln. Another Lat Mandal, Diganta Baruah from the Nazira Revenue Circle in Sivasagar, was caught red-handed accepting a bribe for issuing a trace map and land holding number certificate.
Further exposing the extent of corruption, Dilip Roy, a Lat Mandal in Raha under Nagaon district, was arrested on June 9, Friday. Roy was caught accepting the demanded bribe of Rs. 5,000 at the Raha Revenue Circle Office. He had demanded a total of Rs. 25,000 from the complainant for issuing a land holding number and trace map. The arrest highlighted Roy's act of accepting Rs. 5,000 as the first installment of the demanded amount.
Adding to the list of shocking incidents, Assam Police apprehended Lat Mandal Jugal Bora and four land brokers on June 4 in Hojai district. The brokers were accused of selling six bighas of land in Golaghatia Basti, Hojai, with the help of Jugal Bora through forged documents. The four brokers were identified as Sadhan Chouhan, Krishna Das, Maniram Sahu, and Jagarnath Roy. The incident prompted a demonstration by land brokers and other Lat Mandals who surrounded the police station in protest.
These successive arrests have shed light on the pervasive culture of corruption within Assam's administrative circles. Lat Mandals, entrusted with the responsibility of processing important administrative tasks, have taken advantage of their positions for personal gains. The incidents expose a broader pattern of bribery and land fraud in the state, jeopardizing the trust of citizens and the efficiency of the bureaucratic system.
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