CBI takes over probe into PWD engineer Joshita Das’ death amid allegations of corruption pressure

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in connection with the alleged suicide of Public Works Department (PWD) assistant engineer Joshita Das from Assam, who reportedly took her own life due to “tremendous undue and illegitimate pressure” from her superiors to engage in corrupt practices, officials said on Tuesday.

As per procedure, the CBI re-registered the FIR originally filed at Bongaigaon police station following a reference from the Assam government. Das, posted at the PWD’s Bongaigaon sub-division, was found dead in her residence on July 22.

Her family members alleged that she faced relentless pressure from senior colleagues and contractors, including architect Debajit Sharma, SDO Aminul Islam, and executive engineer Dinesh Medhi Sharma, over the construction of a mini-stadium project in Bongaigaon. All three individuals have been named as accused in the CBI’s FIR.

According to the FIR, Das was “forced, coerced, criminally intimidated and threatened” to manipulate project estimates and bills, which caused immense mental distress and ultimately led her to take the extreme step.

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Days before her death, Das had reportedly shared with her family the mental trauma and workplace harassment she faced. Despite raising her concerns with senior officers, she was allegedly rebuked and told to comply with the corrupt demands, the FIR stated.

Earlier, the Assam government had formed a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case, and three accused persons were arrested. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had stated that the matter required a thorough and impartial investigation due to its sensitive nature and potential inter-state links.

The Opposition Congress had also written to Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya, demanding that the case be handed over to the CBI or another independent central agency — a call that has now been fulfilled.