Northeast Briefs

1. Leopard attack Sivasagar, Feb. 18: Tension prevailed at Lakily and Malow Gaon under Borhat range after a leopard attacked and injured two persons at Lakily Gaon. Police managed to control the mob from killing the animal.
2. Truck hit Sivasagar: The Simoluguri-Dibrugarh passenger train on Monday hit a truck at Hahnsora Kunjibali.
3. Encounter Tinsukia: A satellite phone and a Chinese grenade were recovered from Nakathalgurie during an encounter between a joint team of police, CRPF and the army and Ulfa rebels of the Paresh Barua faction on Monday.
4. Holiday courts Jorhat: Holiday courts will be held at the CJM court, additional CJM court, sub-divisional sadar judicial magistrate court and Majuli judicial court (mofussil) on February 23. Traffic rule violations, state excise law violations and police laws violations cases will be disposed of.
5. Stray bullet Golaghat: A stray bullet hit the shutter of a pharmacy Bhabani Medical at the Stadium Road here on Monday.

Rigorous imprisonment for internal auditor

The court of special judge, Assam, M. Mazed Ali, today sentenced Manoj Saikia, an internal auditor at the office of sub-divisional planning officer in Golaghat district, to rigorous imprisonment for three-and-a-half-years in a corruption case.

The court found Saikia guilty under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Saikia. He will have to undergo imprisonment for further six months in the event of failure to pay fine.

Saikia was allegedly caught by the project director of district rural development agency (DRDA), B.C. Phukan, while taking bribe from secretaries of five gaon panchayats under the Gomariguri development block in Golaghat district on August 25, 2008.

A case was registered against him at Merapani police station.

Saikia had allegedly taken Rs 2,000 each from the gaon panchayat secretaries.