ACB arrests tehsil official in B’la for ‘demanding, accepting bribe’

Srinagar, July 27: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) J&K on Thursday said it “trapped and arrested” a tehsil official in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district for “demanding and accepting” a bribe.
The ACB in a statement said, “(It) received a complaint from a resident of Magam alleging therein that Showkat Ali, Patwari Halqa Waripora, Tehsil Kawarhama, District Baramulla is demanding a bribe of Rs 9,000 from the complainant for issuance and processing of revenue extract for which he has already applied online, etc. The complainant in his complaint alleged that he is a resident of Tehsil Karhama. He and his brother had purchased a piece of land measuring 10 marlas under survey No. 786 situated at Pinjoora from a person. The owner of the land has executed an agreement with the complainant and the land is under the possession of the complainant.”
The complainant further said that he approached Patwari Halqa Waripora Tehsil Karhama namely Showkat Ali for issuance of revenue extract (Intikhab) and the Patwari Showkat Ali demanded Rs 10,000 for the issuance of required documents, the statement said, adding, “The complainant requested the Patwari that he is a poor man and cannot pay this amount but the said Patwari told him to pay Rs 9000 otherwise the work will not be done.”
He further alleged that Patwari told the complainant to bring Rs 5000 as the first installment on 26 July 2023, the ACB said. “Under these circumstances, the complainant approached the ACB with his complaint stating that he don’t want to pay a bribe and requested legal action against the Patwari concerned.”
“As the contents of the complaint prima facie disclosed the commission of offence punishable U/S 7 of the PC Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) by accused public servant namely Showkat Ali, Patwari Halqa Waripora, Tehsil Kawarhama, District Baramulla accordingly a Case FIR No. 07/2023 was registered at Police Station Anti Corruption Bureau, Baramulla U/S 7 of the P.C Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) against a public servant and the investigation of the case was started,” the probe body said. “During the course of the investigation, a trap team was constituted which laid a successful trap and caught the accused Showkat Ali red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 5,000 from the complainant. He was arrested on the spot after completing all legal formalities.”
During the preliminary investigation, it was found that the accused Public servant Showkat Ali was posted as GQ at Tehsil office Kawarhama but was also given charge of Patwar Halqa Waripora, the ACB said, adding that further investigation in the case is going on.