Bribery: Rigorous imprisonment for 4-years to Assam Police SI Bhagyeswar Hazarika

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The government’s drive against corruption received a shot in the arm on Wednesday when the Court of the Special Judge, Assam, convicted a police officer, Bhagyeswar Hazarika, for offenses connected with bribery, handing two concurrent sentences of rigorous imprisonment for 3 and 4 years, with corresponding fines.

Hazarika, a sub-inspector (UB) earlier posted at Bakalia Police Station, in the Karbi Anglong district, has been sentenced by the court to undergo 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and payment of a fine of Rs. 3,000, failing which he will be liable for rigorous imprisonment of 1 month under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988. He has also been sentenced to 4 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 5,000. In case he fails to pay the fine, he will be liable for rigorous imprisonment of 2 months under Section 13(2) of the PC Act. Both sentences will run concurrently.

To recap the crime, a complaint was received on March 28, 2018 at the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, alleging that SI (UB) Bhagyeswar Hazarika, posted at Bakalia Police Station in the Karbi Anglong district, demanded Rs 3,000 as a bribe from the complainant for releasing his bike. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Directorate about taking the necessary legal action against the named public servant, a source at the Directorate said.

Accordingly, on the same day (March 28, 2018), sleuths of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, laid a trap in Bakalia Police Station, in the district of Karbi Anglong. SI (UB) Bhagyeswar Hazarika was caught red-handed in the presence of independent witnesses immediately after he accepted an amount of Rs. 3,000, which he had demanded as a bribe from the complainant. The tainted bribe money was recovered from his possession and was accordingly seized by the team from the directorate in the presence of independent witnesses.

A case against Hazarika (ACB PS Case No. 03/2018) was filed under Sections 7/13(1)(d)/13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The accused was charge sheeted on March 29, 2019.

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