Rs 6 crore seized from motor inspector’s office locker

KOLKATA/BURDWAN: The state anti-corruption branch on Friday arrested three persons, including the motor vehicles department inspector in

Burdwan

, for allegedly demanding bribefrom a transporter. During a raid conducted on Wednesday, the officials seized Rs 5.8 crore hidden in lockers of the motor vehiclesoffice.

In February, motor vehicles inspector Biswajit Sarkar (46) allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from transporter Akbar

Hossain

for ensuring a safe passage of the latter’s vehicles. He asked Hossain tohand over the money toone Kamal Prasad.

The officials laid a trap and asked Hossain to meet Prasad, a parking manager. They added phenolphthalein powder and sodium carbonate on the notes. Parasad met Hossain at a parking lot in Burdwan, took the money, counted them and handed them over to weigh bridge operator Sisir Roy. “Hand washes of Kamal Prasad and Sisir Roy had clear evidence of the chemicals,” said

Tamal Mukherjee

, public prosecutor.

Based on Prasad’s statement, the officials recovered Rs 5.8 crore kept inside three wardrobes kept in the MVI Garden parking lot. “Sarkar can destroy or tamper with the documents. So, we sought police custody of the trio,” said ACB lawyer Shashikant Sigh. Sarkar’s lawyer

Biplab Goswami

said: “The bribe amount was not in his possession. Sarkar is being dragged into the case unnecessarily,” said Goswami. The trio were sent to five days’ policecustody.