Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Ill-gotten money comes under legal action, no matter if it is Rs 1 or Rs 1 lakh. An ACS officer of Assam lost his service as a penalty for taking just Rs 3,000 as a bribe. The state government imposed the penalty of dismissal from service for Dipankar Kalita, a suspended ACS officer, besides disqualifying him for future employment.
The Department of Personnel issued an official notification regarding the dismissal of Dipankar Kalita’s service.
According to the notification, Dipankar Kalita, the then Assistant Commissioner, Kamrup, Amingaon, was arrested on October 16, 2023, by the officials of the Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, after he was caught red-handed while accepting a demanded bribe of Rs. 3,000 only.
The government drew up a disciplinary proceeding against Dipankar Kalita through a show-cause notice on April 6, 2024, on the charges of demanding and accepting a bribe while discharging official duties. In response to the show-cause notice, Dipankar Kalita submitted his reply on May 3, 2024, whereby he denied the charges framed against him. After careful examination of the written defence statement submitted by Dipankar Kalita and the materials on record, it was decided to hold an inquiry into the charges framed against him. Accordingly, Dr P. Ashok Babu, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, was appointed as inquiry officer to inquire into the charges framed against Dipankar Kalita by an order issued on May 21, 2024.
Dr P. Ashok Babu, the inquiry officer of the departmental proceeding vide letter dated January 3, 2026, submitted the inquiry report wherein it was reported that the charges framed in the statement of allegations, viz. taking a bribe in connection with discharging official duty and violation of conduct rules, gross indiscipline, gross misconduct, corruption and moral turpitude, are prima facie proved.
The inquiry report was accepted by the Disciplinary Authority, and a copy of the report was furnished to Dipankar Kalita on January 9, 2026, to submit his representation on the inquiry report. The officer submitted his representation for the inquiry report on February 6, 2026. The Disciplinary Authority examined the representation submitted by the officer against the inquiry report and found that it does not disclose any new material or evidence but merely reiterates the earlier defence taken during the inquiry. The contentions raised by the officer in his representation are not applicable in the case of the departmental inquiry wherein the standard of proof is preponderance of probability. The Disciplinary Authority held that contentions raised by the officer are devoid of merit and do not displace the findings of the inquiry, and, accordingly, the Disciplinary Authority has rejected the representation submitted by Dipankar Kalita.
The Disciplinary Authority, after considering the gravity of the offences committed and the charges which were found to be proved, has decided to impose the penalty of ‘dismissal from service which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future employment’ under Rule 7 (vii) of the Assam Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1964.
The Governor of Assam, after careful consideration of all the facts and materials on record submitted by the Disciplinary Authority and after due application of mind, imposed the penalty of “dismissal from service, which shall ordinarily be a disqualification for future employment” as prescribed in sub-rule (vii) of Rule 7 of the Assam Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1964, in respect of Dipankar Kalita with immediate effect.
Also Read: Assam Forest ranger arrested by Vigilance in Lakhimpur for accepting bribe