Buckets of Corruption: The Rs 2,500 Plastic Scandal

In a startling corruption scandal, an assistant professor at the College of Agriculture, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh, has been accused of accepting bribes for inflated plastic bucket procurement. Officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended Pavan Kumar Gaudar on suspicion of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme alongside a local vendor.

The scandal revolves around the procurement of 30 Milton-branded plastic buckets, each billed at the exaggerated price of Rs 2,500, while the market price stood at Rs 1,200 each. This significant discrepancy drew the federal agency's attention, leading to the arrest following an attempted bribe exchange of Rs 55,000.

According to CBI reports, Gaudar colluded with Anand Kumar Dwivedi of Matrix Solutions to secure contracts with the College, resulting in significant wrongful gains. Both accused were caught during a sting operation and are now in police custody, as further investigations unfold.

(With inputs from agencies.)