Guwahati : The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (V&AC), Assam, has seized cash, fixed deposits and financial documents worth over Rs 1.28 crore during searches conducted at the residence of arrested Assam Civil Service officer Lachit Kumar Das in connection with an alleged bribery case.

Das, serving as Additional Director of Land Records at Rupnagar in Guwahati, was arrested on May 21 after vigilance officials allegedly caught him accepting Rs 45,000 as part of a purported Rs 1 lakh bribe demand for issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) related to land sale permission.

According to vigilance officials, the complainant approached the anti-corruption agency after refusing to pay the alleged bribe amount demanded by the officer.

Acting on the complaint, the V&AC laid a trap operation at the Directorate of Land Records office in Rupnagar. Officials said Das was caught red-handed inside his office chamber immediately after accepting the money.

The tainted cash was recovered from his possession and seized in the presence of independent witnesses, officials added. Following the arrest, vigilance teams carried out an overnight search at Das’ residence in Rani Bagan near Beltola Tiniali in Guwahati. The operation continued till around 1.30 am on May 22.

During the search, officials recovered Rs 48.38 lakh in cash from a locker inside the house. The team also seized fixed deposit certificates worth Rs 80 lakh held in the names of Das and his family members.

In addition, investigators recovered several life insurance and postal life insurance policy documents, details of multiple bank accounts and papers related to landed properties.

Officials said scrutiny and analysis of the seized financial and property-related documents are currently underway as part of the ongoing investigation. A case has been registered at the Anti-Corruption Branch Police Station under Section 7(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.