- NET Web Desk
The Registrar of Assam’s Bhattadev University – Dr Guruprasad Khataniar was apprehended, for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a contractor on Saturday.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption had filed a complaint with a contractor, panelled with the state Public Works Department (PWD), alleging that Khataniar had demanded Rs 1,00,000 from him as a bribe to release the bill for earth filling work at Bhattadev University at Pathshala in Bajali district. Later, the contractor eventually reduced the amount to Rs 50,000.
The contractor had alleged in the FIR that the Executive Engineer, PWD Building, Pathsala had prepared a running bill for earth filling work amounting to Rs 32,00,000 and forwarded the same to the Registrar who kept the bill pending without any reason.
Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the state Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, for taking needful legal action against the Registrar.
Accordingly, a trap was laid on Saturday and Khataniar was caught red-handed after he had accepted Rs 50,000 from the complainant in the Chandmari area of the city here, a police spokesperson said.
The bribe money has been recovered from Khataniar’s possession in the presence of independent witnesses and has been seized by the team.
A case has been registered against the Registrar in the ACB Police Station under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018).
