Guwahati: The vigilance and anti-corruption sleuths on Wednesday caught a woman employee of the income tax department in Lakhimpur district "red-handed" while taking a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a person for a tax-exemption certificate.

Based on an FIR lodged by the person from whom she had initially demanded a bribe of Rs 10,000, a police team, led by a deputy superintendent of police, had laid a trap and caught Janmoni Bhuyan Sharma around 11.30am in her office.

A case was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and she was arrested around 1pm. She will be produced in a special court here which deals with cases related to corruption.

"The accused misused her official position and demanded a bribe to get the work done regarding an exemption certificate needed for a friend of the complainant. We have searched her house and are thoroughly investigating the possible role of senior officers in the office," an official statement issued by Assam police headquarters here said.

FIR lodged: The wife of Pankaj Kalita, an arrested murder accused, has recently lodged an FIR against Upendra Nath Sarma, the officer-in-charge of Tamulpur police station in Baksa district, alleging that he had demanded a bribe of Rs 5 lakh for releasing a vehicle which the police had seized in connection with the murder case.

Following the FIR, a team of vigilance and anti-corruption branch, led by a deputy superintendent of police, had laid a trap when the woman went to hand over Rs 1 lakh to a homeguard allegedly sent by Sarma.

"The homeguard accepted the amount in the police barracks where he stays, on the police station compound. However, he got suspicious while counting notes and returned the bundle of cash to the complainant and asked to come another day. The police team and the witnesses rushed to the police station compound, but the homeguard managed to flee. An investigation is on into the role of Sarma as alleged by the woman," a statement issued by the police said.

Kalita was arrested in a murder case in March.