ACB arrests FCI godown owner, weigher for ‘demanding, accepting bribes’

Srinagar, Aug 21: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday said it arrested an FCI godown owner along with a weigher for “accepting bribe in lieu of unloading a truck”.
The ACB in a statement issued here said a complainant approached the bureau with a written complaint against the office bearers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) Godown Chandpora Budgam, alleging that the owner was demanding a bribe from him for unloading his truck.
“The truck is associated with the transportation of food grain for FCI and had arrived at FCI Godown, Chandpora with a load of rice on 12-08-2023. Since then the truck had not been unloaded and the office bearers had finally told the complainant to approach Godown owner and Tajamul Hassan Shah, Weigher,” the ACB said.
As per the statement, the complainant accordingly approached the godown owner who told him to deposit an amount of Rs 1,500 into his bank account. “The weigher told him to pay a bribe of Rs 3,500 before his truck could be unloaded. The complainant, however, chose not to pay a bribe and approached the ACB Srinagar for taking legal action against the accused as provided under the law.”
“On receipt of the complaint, a Case FIR No. 16/2023 U/S 7, 7A of PC Act 1988 was registered with PS ACB Srinagar and an investigation was taken up,” the statement said.
The ACB said, “During the course of the investigation, a trap team was constituted by this bureau. The team laid a successful trap and caught the accused weigher red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe amount of Rs 3,500 from the complainant. The money was recovered from the accused on the spot.”
The accused godown owner has been identified as Ab Majeed Sheikh, son of Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Firdousabad, Batamaloo Srinagar, Proprietor Sheikh Suppliers and Contractors while the weigher has been identified as Tajamul Hassan Shah, son of Ghulam Hassan Shah, a resident of Dharmuna Budgam, the statement said.
The bureau added, “On the spot, there were several other drivers available, who transport food grain for FCI. They were examined and it came to the surface that all the drivers were forced to pay bribes before their trucks were unloaded. The drivers on the spot complained that they are extorted money at all the godowns of FCI, especially Lethpora, and otherwise, their trucks are not unloaded timely and are made to wait long. Almost all the drivers available on the spot have paid some amount to the godown owner and weigher in one or other way. Some of the drivers showed mPay screenshots depicting the transfer of Rs 3,000 each into the bank account of accused Abdul Majeed.”
The ACB also said that the godown owner Ab Majeed Sheikh is accused of Rs 30 crore fraud of J&K Bank. In connection with bank fraud, the bureau has charge-sheeted the accused in ACB case FIR No. 06/2019 of PS ACB Anantnag.
“Further investigation into the case is going on and the role of other involved persons associated with FCI Godown Chandpora is being investigated,” the ACB said, adding that more arrests are expected to follow.