Bengal ACB Uses ‘Chemical Trap’ to Catch Official Taking Rs 20,000 Bribe

Bengal ACB Catches Official in Rs 20,000 Bribe Case

A Sub-Assistant Engineer attached to the West Bengal State Rural Development Agency (WBSRDA) in Hooghly was allegedly caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 at the Zilla Parishad Office in Chinsurah on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) after it received a complaint from a government contractor.

According to the details of the case, the contractor had completed a road construction project under the Panchayat Project. The project was valued at approximately Rs 1 crore.

Complaint From Government Contractor

The ACB operation followed a complaint lodged by the contractor involved in the road construction project.

The work order for the project had been issued in 2023. Construction of the road was completed towards the end of 2025.

After completing the work, the contractor approached the officials concerned regarding the refund of the Earnest Money deposited during the tender process.

It was during this process that the Sub-Assistant Engineer allegedly demanded an illegal gratification from the contractor to facilitate the release of the money.

The contractor subsequently approached the Anti-Corruption Branch with the complaint.

ACB Sets Up ‘Chemical Trap’

Acting on the complaint, ACB officers laid what the report describes as a “chemical trap” at the Zilla Parishad Office in Chinsurah on Tuesday.

The operation was designed to catch the official while allegedly accepting the demanded bribe.

During the operation, the Sub-Assistant Engineer was allegedly caught accepting Rs 20,000.

The arrest has brought attention to the use of the “chemical trap” method by the West Bengal Anti-Corruption Branch in such operations.

Road Project Worth Around Rs 1 Crore

The alleged bribe demand was connected to a government road construction project implemented under the Panchayat Project.

The project had an approximate value of Rs 1 crore, with the work order issued in 2023.

The contractor completed the construction towards the end of 2025. Following completion, the contractor sought the return of the Earnest Money deposited during the tender process.

According to the complaint, the official allegedly demanded money in connection with facilitating the release of the deposited amount.

Official Caught at Chinsurah Office

The alleged exchange took place at the Zilla Parishad Office in Chinsurah.

The ACB acted after receiving the contractor's complaint and organised the trap operation at the office.

The Sub-Assistant Engineer, who was attached to WBSRDA in Hooghly, was allegedly caught while accepting the Rs 20,000.

The case highlights how complaints regarding alleged demands for illegal gratification can lead to trap operations by anti-corruption authorities.

What the ‘Chemical Trap’ Operation Shows

The arrest has also drawn attention to the “chemical trap” operation used by the ACB.

In this case, officers acted on a specific complaint and arranged the operation at the location where the alleged bribe transaction was expected to take place.

The operation resulted in the official being caught while allegedly accepting the money.

The incident involved a government contractor seeking the refund of earnest money after completing a road project. The alleged demand for Rs 20,000 was made in connection with facilitating the release of those funds, according to the complaint described in the report.

The case has therefore brought together allegations of bribery, a government infrastructure project and an anti-corruption trap operation at a government office in Hooghly.