GUWAHATI, Sept 2 - There has been a spurt in complaints of corruption cases received by the Vigilance & Anti-Corruption wing of Assam Police, as over 200 complaints have been received by the wing so far this year. �The number of complaints we have received this year is unprecedented. Most of the cases pertain to the Education department, followed by Forest department,� Superintendent of Police (Vigilance & Anti-Corruption) Mukul Saikia told The Assam Tribune.
Sources in the department said though it is not easy to register all the complaints, but follow-up action is being initiated by the agency.
The Vigilance & Anti-Corruption wing has registered 10 cases this year so far. Eight of them are trap cases, cases in which the accused has been caught red-handed using a decoy or with the help of the victim himself.
One case has been registered following instructions of the government, while another relates to a police recruitment, the investigation of which has been currently suspended temporarily following an order by the High Court.
Last year, the agency had registered 18 cases, of which seven were trap cases.
In six of the 10 cases being investigated by the agency this year, the accused are senior district-level officers, which included Morigaon District Elementary Education Officer, the Golaghat Excise Superintendent and Dhemaji DFO.
The agency is in the process of filing chargesheets in three of the cases, including the one of Dhemaji DFO Mahat Chandra Talukdar who faces three charges � bribery, illegally keeping wildlife parts and disproportionate assets.
Officials in the agency said that following a series of raids conducted by it, corrupt officials are now abstaining from keeping money earned through unfair means in their houses. In order to enhance its efficiency, the Vigilance & Anti-Corruption wing has chalked out programmes to impart forensic training to its personnel. Besides, government advocates will also be roped in another training, which will be aimed at plugging the gaps in the prosecution process.
