Man arrested for taking bribe from job seeker

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Dec. 10: Police arrested Ganesh Saha, a group D staff of the Harishchandrapur-II child development project office, today on charges of taking bribe from a job seeker in exchange of an appointment letter for the post of helper in the integrated child development centre, administrative officials said. The district intelligence branch was monitoring a complaint that the child development project officer Mr P Tsering Lepcha allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 for each appointment letter for the post of helper in ICDS. It was alleged that one Marzina Begum, a job seeker of Vitol village, had approached him and he told her to bring Rs 10,000 for appointment letter. Marzina informed the matter to district intelligence branch officials and fixed an appointment with the CDPO and came to his office with Rs. 10,000. Incidentally, the CDPO was not there and one group D staff Ganesh Saha preset in the office and came forward to make the deal. “Police caught him red handed when he delivered an appointment letter issued by the CDPO Harishchandrapur II after receiving Rs. 10,000”, said Mr. Debashis Sarkar , the Chanchal sub divisional officer. It may be noted that in Harishchandrapur II there was a law and order problem owing to public agitation over the issue of 72 helpers' appointment in the ICDS centres when the CDPO had issued appointment letters three months ago. Interestingly, the Mr Lepcha had left Malda after issuing 72 appointment letters without informing authorities of the Chanchal sub-division. Later he informed them that he was under tremendous pressure on the issue of recruitment and he had to leave the place. Following complaints the district magistrate Mr CR Das instructed the Chanchal SDO to inquire into the matter. After through inquiry it was revealed that 64 appointment letters, out of 72 were issued on merit and they were treated as valid appointments but the CDPO did not follow the procedure for issuing appointment letters. The Chanchal SDO had placed the list of successful candidates for the post of helper before the selective committee and recommended them for fresh appointment. “The rest eight appointment letters were held up due to technical causes because the candidates did not submit supporting documents of caste certificates”, Mr. Sarkar said.