DRDA project director caught taking bribe

ndita Konwar remanded to judicial custody, alleges political conspiracy

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Oct 8: ndita Konwar, the project director of Kamrup metropolitan's District Rural Development Agency, was today caught red-handed by Vigilance & Anti-Corruption sleuths while taking a bribe of Rs 12,000.

Konwar, who had been facing similar allegations of corruption in the past, is the daughter of former Bihar and Tripura Governor Debanda Konwar.

The Guwahati-Durgasarovar Arunudoy Path Unnyan Samity had filed a complaint against Konwar with the anti-corruption wing of Assam Police, alleging that she was demanding commission to release a cheque against a road construction project.

The project - costing Rs 1.20 lakh - was sanctioned under the MPLAD funds. The Samity executed the project.

"We had received the first installment - a cheque of Rs 72,000. After completion of the project, we approached the DRDA project director pleading for release of the remaining installment. But she demanded 10 per cent commission to release the amount," the Samity's members Ratanlal Kumar and Purno Chetri said.

 "We had met at her at her office even last week, but the meeting resulted in a confrontation," they said. However, the Samity members recorded the conversation and submitted it to the anti-corruption department along with a complaint.

Official sources said the anti-corruption sleuths laid traps on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the project director did not turn up at the office in those two days.

A twelve-member team today filly caught her red-handed while taking a bribe of Rs 12,000 from the Samity members before handing over the cheque for the remaining amount.

Konwar was today produced in a court and remanded to judicial custody. She, however, denied the allegations, saying it is a political conspiracy hatched by BJP MP from Guwahati Bijoya Chakraborty.