Srinagar, May 21 :
The J&K Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday trapped and arrested a Ziladar and a Patwari of Irrigation Division Anantnag while they were allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for disposal of a land-related complaint, officials said.
In a statement issued here, a spokesperson said the ACB trapped and arrested Nazir Ahmad Wani, Ziladar, and Bilal Ahmad Wagay, Patwari of Irrigation Division Anantnag, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1,00,000.
“Anti Corruption Bureau received a written complaint stating that Ziladar Nazir Ahmad Wani S/o Mohd Akbar Wani R/o Utrasoo Najigund Anantnag and Patwari Bilal Ahmad Wagay S/o Abdul Rehman Wagay R/o Sherpora Anantnag, posted in Irrigation Division Anantnag, were demanding a bribe of Rs 1,00,000 for disposal of an application/complaint regarding alleged encroachment of government land at Ashajipora near Dabruna, Anantnag,” the spokesperson said.
He said the accused officials allegedly told the complainant that they would settle or reject the application at their level if he paid a bribe equivalent to the cost of one marla of land at the location, approximately Rs 4 lakh. After repeated requests, the demand was settled at Rs 1 lakh. The complainant, however, refused to pay and approached the ACB for legal action as envisaged under law.
He said that upon receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted during which it was found that the land in question was not state land but proprietary land of the complainant, and the demand of bribe by the public servants was confirmed. Accordingly, Case FIR No. 05/2026 u/s 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) was registered at PS ACB Anantnag and investigation was taken up.
“During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted which laid a successful trap and caught both government employees red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe. They were arrested on the spot and the bribe amount was recovered from their possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team,” he said.
He added that searches of the residential houses of the accused officials were also conducted in the presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses. Further investigation is going on.—(KNO)