Kathua, June 30: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday said to have trapped and arrested a Patwari of Halqa Thuthay Chak, Hiranagar, Kathua for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000.
A spokesperson said in a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Anti-Corruption Bureau received a complaint alleging therein that public servant namely Liaquat Ali, Patwari, Patwar Halqa Thuthay Chak Tehsil Hiranagar, District Kathua, demanded illegal gratification from the complainant for attestation of mutation.
“The accused had demanded a bribe of Rs 1,00,000 from the complainant for entering the name of his wife in the mutation register. After negotiation, the accused has agreed to take bribe amount of Rs 70,000 from the complainant in two installments,” the statement reads.
The complainant arranged Rs 30,000 as bribe money as 1st installment for payment to the said Patwari, it reads, adding that since, the complainant didn’t want to pay bribe and he approached Anti-Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the accused public servant under law.
“On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted, which corroborates the demand of bribe by the public servant concerned and accordingly, a case FIR No. 13/2025 U/S 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 was registered in Police Station ACB Jammu and investigation taken up,” the statement added.
During the course of investigation, the spokesman said that a trap team headed by Gazetted rank officer was constituted. “The team laid a successful trap and accused public servant was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of Rs 30,000 from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses. The accused was arrested on the spot by the ACB team after following due process of law. The bribe money was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team. Moreover, search is being conducted in the residential house of the accused situated in Kishanpur, Dungara, Billawar, District Kathua in presence of independent witness and Magistrate,” it reads, adding that further investigation of the instant case is going on.
