Latest news with #Chakma
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Vigilance searches properties in Tripura, HP linked to arrested IAS officer's kin
Bhubaneswar: Days after arresting IAS officer Dhiman Chakma on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a stone miner in Kalahandi district, the state vigilance directorate on Wednesday conducted simultaneous searches at properties linked to his family and relatives in Tripura and Himachal Pradesh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Three teams carried out verification and searches at the residence of Chakma at Kanchanpur in North Tripura and houses of his in-laws at Saminala in Kullu district and Rangbey in Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal. "Relevant documents related to deposits and investments in banks and other financial instruments among others were collected and scrutinised during the house search. Details of other movable and immovable assets are being ascertained from disproportionate assets (DA) angle," an official vigilance statement read. Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, on his first posting as sub-collector in Dharamgarh, was arrested on June 8 at his official residence in Kalahandi, while allegedly receiving Rs 10 lakh — the initial instalment of a Rs 20 lakh demand — from Harsha Bardhan Behera, who owns a stone crusher unit. Subsequent searches at his quarters led to the discovery of Rs 47 lakh in cash. "We are trying to find out the sources through which he accumulated the huge ill-gotten cash. If anyone paid him bribes previously, they should help us gather more evidence against him. His official decisions taken in the past are under scrutiny," a vigilance officer said. Following his suspension on June 10, Chakma remains in judicial custody. The interstate investigation of his assets occurred after the vigilance court in Bhawanipatna rejected his bail application on Tuesday. Sources said Chakma solicited the bribe to safeguard Behera's stone mining operations. In Aug 2024, the mines department had levied a Rs 1.6 crore penalty on Behera for excessive stone mining. Chakma purportedly demanded Rs 20 lakh to reduce or eliminate the fine.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Bribery probe: Properties linked to IAS officer Chakma searched
1 2 3 Bhubaneswar: Days after arresting IAS officer Dhiman Chakma, a resident of Tripura, on charges of accepting a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a stone miner in Kalahandi district, the Odisha vigilance directorate on Wednesday conducted simultaneous searches at properties linked to his family and relatives in Tripura and Himachal Pradesh. Three teams carried out verification and searches at the residence of Chakma at Kanchanpur in North Tripura and at houses of his in-laws at Saminala in Kullu district and Rangbey in Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal. "Relevant documents related to deposits and investments in banks and other financial instruments among others were collected and scrutinised during the house search. Details of other movable and immovable assets are being ascertained from disproportionate assets (DA) angle," an official vigilance statement read. Chakma, a 2021-batch IAS officer, on his first posting as sub-collector in Dharamgarh, was arrested on June 8 at his official residence in Kalahandi, while receiving Rs 10 lakh — the initial instalment of a Rs 20 lakh demand — from one Harsha Bardhan Behera, who owns a stone crusher unit, the agency said. Subsequent searches at his quarters led to a stash of Rs 47 lakh in cash. "We are trying to find out the sources through which he accumulated the huge ill-gotten cash. If anyone paid him bribes previously, they should help us gather more evidence against him," an officer said. Following his suspension on June 10, Chakma remains in judicial custody.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Bribery case: Odisha Vigilance searches suspended IAS officer Dhiman Chakma's residence
Bhubaneswar: Special teams of Odisha Vigilance have carried out house searches at different locations in Tripura and Himachal Pradesh in connection with the bribery case linked to Dhiman Chakma, a 2021 batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, who was recently arrested over graft charges. 'Following the arrest of Chakma, the Sub-Collector, Dharamgarh in Kalahandi district on June 9 by Odisha Vigilance in a trap case for demanding and taking bribe Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman, three teams of Odisha Vigilance have been deputed to the states of Tripura and Himachal Pradesh at places linked to Chakma for further verification,' said a Vigilance official on Wednesday. Vigilance sources further noted that the anti-corruption sleuths are carrying out verification and searches at the residential house of Chakma at Kanchanpur, North Tripura and houses of his in-laws at Saminala, under Manali police station area in Kullu district and at Rangbey, under Keylong police limits of Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh, on the strength of search warrants issued by special Judge, Vigilance, Bhawanipatna. 'Relevant documents related to deposits and investments in banks and other financial instruments, etc are being collected and scrutinized. Details of other movable/immovable assets are being ascertained from the DA (Disproportionate Assets) angle,' the official added. On June 8, Chakma was caught red handed while taking a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from a local businessman, as an installment of the overall demand of bribe of Rs 20 lakh, threatening to take action against his stone crusher unit. The Vigilance official also recovered Rs 47 lakh cash during searches at his official residence in Dharamgarh. A case has been registered in this connection at the Vigilance Cell under Section 7 Prevention against Corruption Amendment Act, 2018. The Odisha government also placed Chakma on suspension following his arrest. Notably, Chakma, a native of Tripura, had earlier joined the Odisha cadre as an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer in 2019 and served briefly as Assistant Conservator of Forests in Baripada, Mayurbhanj. He later cleared the civil services examination again, secured a higher rank, and was inducted into the IAS in 2021.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Tripura govt sanctions 14.9L for study of Bostami turtles
Agartala: The Tripura govt has sanctioned Rs 14.90 lakh for a year-long study to assess the habitat of the Bostami turtles, an endangered species found in the Kalyansagar Lake of Mata Tripureswari temple in Tripura's Gomati district. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The temple is one of the 51 sacred Hindu Shaktipeethas, housing Bostami turtles. The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a global conservation organisation with the support of Tripura forest department and district administration, will undertake the study. A team from TSA, accompanied by district magistrate of Gomati Tarit Kanti Chakma, and senior forest and fisheries officials visited the temple complex and the lake on Sunday. Chakma said the visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at turtle conservation in the sacred lake. TSA representatives Arunima and Susmita Kar examined the lake, which is home to several turtle species, most notably the Bostami turtles, a critically endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) schedule. The Bostami turtles, also known as black soft-shell turtles, are freshwater species found in limited locations in India and Bangladesh. In Tripura, they hold deep religious significance, as they inhabit the sacred lake of the temple. Agartala: The Tripura govt has sanctioned Rs 14.90 lakh for a year-long study to assess the habitat of the Bostami turtles, an endangered species found in the Kalyansagar Lake of Mata Tripureswari temple in Tripura's Gomati district. The temple is one of the 51 sacred Hindu Shaktipeethas, housing Bostami turtles. The Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a global conservation organisation with the support of Tripura forest department and district administration, will undertake the study. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A team from TSA, accompanied by district magistrate of Gomati Tarit Kanti Chakma, and senior forest and fisheries officials visited the temple complex and the lake on Sunday. Chakma said the visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at turtle conservation in the sacred lake. TSA representatives Arunima and Susmita Kar examined the lake, which is home to several turtle species, most notably the Bostami turtles, a critically endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) schedule. The Bostami turtles, also known as black soft-shell turtles, are freshwater species found in limited locations in India and Bangladesh. In Tripura, they hold deep religious significance, as they inhabit the sacred lake of the temple.
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Arunachal Pradesh students' union protests against illegal immigrants
The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), the premier student organisation in the state, on Monday held a massive rally in the state capital of Itanagar, demanding immediate action against what they claim to be a demographic threat posed by illegal immigrants, particularly the Chakma and Hajong communities. Joined by scores of community-based organisations, district student unions and concerned citizens, the demonstration culminated in the submission of a 12-point memorandum to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs via the state chief secretary. AAPSU reiterated its longstanding demands for the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants and re-verification of the electoral rolls. Speaking at the rally, AAPSU president Dozi Tana Tara warned of a looming cultural and legal crisis. 'The presence of illegal immigrants, especially Chakma and Hajong, is not just a population issue — it's a direct threat to our constitutional rights, tribal land ownership, and cultural identity,' he said. 'The time for complacency is over. The government must act decisively.' The students' union alleged that while only 56 Chakma-Hajong families were settled in Arunachal in the 1960s, the population has since grown unchecked, with many allegedly gaining access to benefits reserved for Scheduled Tribes, encroaching on community land, and flouting forest norms. Referring to a recent land dispute in Tissing-Singpho village, where a tribal woman's property was reportedly seized by settlers, AAPSU said such alleged incidents underscore the urgent need for intervention. 'If deportation isn't feasible, relocation to other states must be considered,' Tara added. The memorandum also flagged violations of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, law-and-order concerns and the undocumented status of many settlers. It also called for a review of all beneficiary schemes that may have been accessed by illegal immigrants. AAPSU termed Monday's rally as part of an 'intensified democratic struggle' and urged all CBOs to remain alert. 'This is not just our fight — it's about safeguarding the future of Arunachal's indigenous communities,' Tara said. The Chakmas and Hajongs, originally residents of the Chittagong Hill Tracts of the former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), had to flee when their land was submerged due to the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s. The groups entered India through what was then the Lushai Hills district of Assam (today's Mizoram). While some stayed back with Chakmas already living in the Lushai Hills, the Indian government moved a majority of the refugees to present-day Arunachal Pradesh. Chakmas are predominantly Buddhists, while the Hajongs are Hindus.
