One arrested for attempting to bribe SDO

EOI, Jalpaiguri, 7 Jun 2014: Jalpaiguri Kotwali on Friday nabbed a man on charge of attempting to bribe the Jalpaiguri Sadar sub-division officer Sima Halder at her office.

The person has been identified as Sukumar Roy, an employee of a private electricity company. The SDO has filed an FIR against Roy at the Kotwali police station.

Sources said Roy met the SDO on Friday on behalf of the company he works for.

Halder informed Roy visited her office Friday afternoon and gave her an envelope describing it contains an invitation card. But when the SDO opened it, she was shocked to see the envelope was filled with notes.

Halder immediately summoned the office guards and ordered them to stop Roy and informed the police, following which the accused was apprehended.

The SDO said the reason behind Roy’s attempt to bribe her is very unclear and added she later came to know from police the envelope contained Rs 25,000.

Sources said the company at present is building many transmission towers at Paharpur and adjoining areas in the district. The ongoing construction work faced obstruction over land dispute with the locals some days back but the administration soon resolved the issue.

Raghu Ram, a higher official of the company, had contacted the SDO office to arrange a meeting with the officer. Police speculate Raghu sent Roy as his representative in a bid to avoid direct contact with Halder and attempted to bribe her with the hope of getting some illicit benefits.

Roy was presented to the Jalpaiguri CJM Court this afternoon and the judge has sent him to five day’s police remand.