Guwahati: In an attempt to curb malpractices of corruption across the state, a team of Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam, arrested a circle officer who had instructed a Lat Mandal to demand bribe from individuals allegedly involved in illegal land dealings.

The accused has been identified as one ALRS (Assam Land and Revenue Service) Circle Officer of Thelamara in Sonitpur, Barenya Ranjan Barthakur who was apprehended from Kahilipara in Guwahati on Saturday afternoon.

Based on a complaint, the DVAC team laid a trap on September 27 and caught the Lat Mandal red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a complainant in from of Satsang Vihar in Bhangagarh.

The Lat Mandal, Gulzar Hussain, of Thelamara Revenue Circle in Sonitpur had been threatening and harassing a complainant related to the complainant's involvement in illegal land dealings. Hussain demanded a bribe of rupees eight lakhs from the complainant to remove his name from the list of land brokers who were involved in such activities.

A case was registered in Anti-Corruption Bureau Police Station vide ACB PS case No. 09/2021 U/S 7(a) of PC Act against him. While interrogating Hussain, it was revealed that he used to demand bribe on the instructions of circle officer Borthakur.

Further investigation is underway.