The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested three persons, including a Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO) of the J&K Agriculture Department, an Agricultural Extension Assistant (AEA) and a private individual, in connection with an alleged bribery racket involving the release of subsidy under the Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP).
The arrested accused, according to the CBI, have been identified as Rajan Sharma, Sub-Divisional Agriculture Officer (SDAO), Agriculture Department, Government of J&K; Abhilashi Sharma, Agricultural Extension Assistant (AEA), Agriculture Department and Ashok Kumar, a private person.
According to the CBI, the case was registered on September 19, 2026, following allegations that SDAO Rajan Sharma had demanded a Rs 35,000 bribe from a complainant for releasing his subsidy under the HADP scheme.
The CBI maintained that the SDAO directed the complainant to hand over the demanded bribe either to the Agricultural Extension Assistant or to the private person.
Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught AEA Abhilashi Sharma and private person Ashok Kumar red-handed while allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 15,000 from the complainant.
The agency subsequently arrested SDAO Rajan Sharma from his residence in connection with the case.
“The arrests have brought under scrutiny the alleged demand for illegal gratification in connection with the disbursement of government agricultural subsidy, with the CBI continuing its investigation to establish the full sequence of events and the role of the accused,” the investigative agency said, adding that further investigation was continuing.
