Massive corruption in AMC’s south zone , allegations against casual clerical employee Suman Acharjee

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 21, 2025

Allegations of massive and rampant corruption have emerged from the south zone office of the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) where a casual clerical employee Suman Acharjee is reportedly the kingpin of the corrupt racket and cashier in charge of the slush money extorted from residents of the zone. Sources from south zone office said that Suman Acharjee (37) ,a graduate by qualification and resident of the Jogendra Nagar area of Agartala , had joined AMC’s south zone office as a ‘labourer’ and soon got close to the gang of corrupt racket of 4/5 other employees led by now-transferred Jaya Majumder.

He got promotion as a ‘casual clerk’ and was put in charge of extortion of slush money from people by the racket as unofficial cashier for subsequent distribution on equal share among other members. Sources said that the main sources of bribe or slush money are illegal extortion for ‘Tauzi’, ‘diversion’ in building construction, passing of building plan, conversion of land and extortion of money from marriage houses at the cost of the precious revenue due to the AMC. “There are 48 marriage houses in the south zone area and the marriage houses are required to pay Rs 4 thousand for per marriage function but only 14 marriage houses registered earlier pay the due fees to the AMC’s south zone on a regular basis while 34 others pay monthly bribes or slush money to Suman Acharjee at a much lower than official rate to escape regular payment and penalties and the net loser is the AMC’s revenue base” said sources. At the end of the month the total collection is shared by 4/5 persons in the racket that also earlier included transferred clerk Jaya Majumder.

Sources said that for running the corrupt racket of extortion Suman Acharjee always takes the name of the Mayor Dipak Majumder, saying he has to pay the Mayor and senior officials which is not correct. During his tenure as executive officer of south zone earlier Tarun Kanti Sarkar tried to control the corruption but failed to do anything because of protection extended to the racket by one or two Corporators. Now recently a new official Swapnajit Sarkar who was earlier BDO, Chhawmanu, has joined as new executive officer of the south zone but he is yet to take a full grip over the corrupt and inefficient administration including the extortion racket run by Suman Acharjee. Sources added that residents of AMC’s south zone , specially those who have to keep in touch with the zonal office on regular basis, are fed up with the extortion racket run by Suman Acharjee and planning to file a memorandum of complaint to the authority with evidence to ensure that Suman Acharjee, just like his earlier mentor and patron Jaya Majumder, is at least transferred immediately from the south zone office to an inconsequential posting.

more news...