The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation into the tragic death of Public Works Department (PWD) assistant engineer Joshita Das, who reportedly ended her life on July 22 at her residence in Bongaigaon. Officials said she had been under “tremendous undue and illegitimate pressure” from her superiors to comply with corrupt practices in her office.
As per the FIR re-registered by the CBI following a reference from the Assam government, three senior officers have been named in connection with the case. They are Debajit Sharma, architect with M/s Aesthetic Creations, Aminul Islam, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of PWD, and Dinesh Medhi Sharma, Executive Engineer of PWD, all based in Bongaigaon. The FIR alleges that Das was “forced, coerced, criminally intimidated and threatened” to manipulate project estimates and bills for a mini-stadium construction project, which caused her immense mental distress.
Family members of Das said that she had shared her struggles and the harassment she faced at work just days before her death. She reportedly raised concerns about the undue pressure to senior officers but was allegedly rebuked and told to comply with the corrupt demands. The case has now drawn the attention of the CBI after widespread public concern and appeals from opposition parties for an impartial central probe. 
Earlier, the Assam government had set up a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the matter. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that the case required a thorough and fair investigation due to its sensitive nature and possible inter-state links. The opposition Congress had also urged Governor Laxman Prasad Acharya to hand over the case to the CBI or another independent central agency, a request that has now been acted upon.
