Assam Govt Hands Over PWD Engineer’s Suicide Case to CBI Amid Corruption Allegations

GUWAHATI– Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Thursday that the state government has decided to transfer the investigation into the tragic suicide of 26-year-old Public Works Department (PWD) Assistant Engineer Joshita Das to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The decision, approved by the state cabinet, follows intense public outcry and allegations of corruption and workplace harassment leveled against senior PWD officials in Das’s suicide note.

Joshita Das, posted in Bongaigaon, was found dead at her rented residence in Barpara on July 22. A handwritten note recovered from the scene detailed severe mental stress and alleged that two senior officials, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Aminul Islam and Executive Engineer Dinesh Medhi, pressured her to approve inflated or fraudulent bills for a mini stadium project in Borsongaon.

The note also claimed that architect Debajit Sarma submitted inaccurate estimates, leaving Das to manage technical responsibilities without adequate support. Despite the transfer of Islam and Medhi to other postings, Das alleged they continued to exert undue influence.

Addressing the media after a cabinet meeting, Sarma emphasized the government’s commitment to an impartial probe. “We have taken the matter of the suicide of an Assistant Engineer and the allegations against officials very seriously. The CBI will conduct an independent investigation to ensure justice for the deceased and to uncover deeper layers of corruption or irregularities within the system,” he said.

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The Chief Minister noted that the CBI has unofficially agreed to take up the case, but the formal handover process, requiring approval from the Union Home Ministry, will take approximately 20 to 25 days.

The case has sparked widespread protests across Assam, with organizations like the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Assam Engineering Forum, and the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) demanding accountability. Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi led statewide demonstrations, calling the incident a symptom of systemic corruption in the state’s infrastructure departments. The State Women’s Commission has also taken suo moto cognizance, preparing to summon top PWD officials for questioning.

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Three individuals, including Islam and Medhi, have been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide based on the suicide note and a First Information Report (FIR) filed by Das’s family. Das’s father alleged that his daughter was under “tremendous pressure” to clear inflated bills, stating, “She said she would be arrested while the senior officers would escape. It’s nothing but corruption in the system.” Her mother reported that Joshita had become withdrawn, skipping meals and losing sleep due to workplace stress.

The CBI probe is expected to scrutinize not only the allegations of harassment but also broader issues of administrative pressure, financial irregularities, and the PWD’s working culture.

The case has raised serious questions about transparency, governance, and the safety of women professionals in Assam’s bureaucratic and technical fields. As the CBI prepares to take over, the public awaits answers and justice for Joshita Das, whose death has become a rallying cry for systemic reform.