News Reporter
In a significant crackdown on corruption, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Assam, has arrested Jnana Ranjan Das, an Assam Forest Service (AFS) officer serving as the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) for Social Forestry in Golaghat. Das was apprehended at his official residence while accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. The bribe was allegedly taken to prevent the cancellation of a work order, as reported by the complainant.
In another incident, Gopal Deka, the Forest Beat Officer for Gabhoru Beat in Sonitpur district, was also arrested for accepting a bribe. Deka reportedly took the bribe to allow the unimpeded movement of vehicles transporting forest products.
These arrests highlight the ongoing efforts by Assam's anti-corruption authorities to address and eliminate corrupt practices within the state's forest department. Earlier this month, Iqbal Ahmed, a Regional Forest Officer in Jorhat, was similarly apprehended in an anti-corruption operation. Ahmed was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. His arrest followed numerous complaints about his alleged involvement in corrupt activities.
The successful operations against these officials underscore the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption's commitment to maintaining transparency and integrity within government departments. The recent string of arrests demonstrates a robust and proactive stance against corruption, aiming to restore public trust and ensure the fair administration of forestry operations in Assam.