STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The corruption case involving arrested ACS officer Lachit Kumar Das took a significant turn after the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption recovered Rs 1,17,30,000 in cash from another property linked to him in the city.
Officials conducted a fresh search operation on May 22 at a residence in the Queen's Garden Apartment, G-B Block area of Rani Bagan in Beltola, where Das's brother-in-law resides. During the raid, investigators also recovered several land-related documents, which they are examining as part of the ongoing probe.
Das, who had been serving as Additional Director of Land Records, was arrested in connection with a bribery case after he was allegedly caught accepting Rs 45,000 from a complainant for issuing a no-objection certificate related to land sale permission.
According to investigators, the complainant had approached the anti-corruption agency after Das allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh for processing the matter. Acting on the complaint, vigilance officials organised a trap operation at the Directorate of Land Records office in Rupnagar.
Officials stated that Das was apprehended immediately after he allegedly accepted the money inside his office chamber. Following his arrest on May 21, search teams also carried out a raid at his residence in Queen's Garden Apartment, G-A Block, in Rani Bagan near Beltola Tiniali.
During that operation, investigators recovered Rs 48.38 lakh in cash from a locker at the residence. They also seized fixed deposit certificates worth around Rs 80 lakh, along with insurance documents, bank records and papers linked to multiple landed properties associated with Das and his family members.
The latest seizure of Rs 1.17 crore has further intensified the investigation, with authorities scrutinising financial records and property-related documents connected to the officer.
According to sources, Das owns multiple landed properties, including one bigha of land at Raha and 4 kathas and 11 lessas at Hojai. Apart from two flats in Beltola, he also owns plots measuring 1 katha 7 lessas and 1 katha 10 lessas in the Beltola area.
Officials stated that they had registered the case under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and that further investigation remains underway.
Also Read: Luxury Flats, Crores in Cash, and Gold: Vigilance Raids Expose ACS Officer’s Hidden Wealth