Srinagar, July 21: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday said to have trapped and arrested a Patwari from Patwar Halqa Banimulla, Kulgam for demanding and accepting bribe.

According to a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the spokesman said that Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau received a written  complaint, alleging therein that complainant had submitted an application in tehsil Office Pahloo, Kulgam, requesting therein  for  obtaining permission for cutting of walnut trees, which are situated in the land of complainant.

“Tehsil Office Pahloo, Kulgam forwarded his application to concerned Patwari for report. When the complainant approached the Patwari of Patwar Halqa Banimulla, the Patwari demanded Rs 23000 as bribe from the complainant in lieu of providing favourable report,” reads the statement.

The complainant chose not to pay bribe and instead approached Anti-Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the Patwari as provided under law. On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted which confirmed the demand by the said patwari and accordingly Case FIR No. 02/2025 u/s 7 of P/C Act 1988 was registered in PS ACB Anantnag and investigation was taken up, it added.

During the course of investigation a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the patwari Mushtaq Ahmad Khatana S/o Mohd Ayoub Khatana R/o Kraloo Kund Kulgam red handed while demanding and accepting bribe. He was arrested on spot by the ACB team. The bribe amount was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.

Subsequently, the search of residential house of the accused Patwari has been carried out in presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses, the statement reads, adding that further investigation of the instant case is going on.

Srinagar, July 21: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to pay a compensation of ₹50 lakh to the appellant-victim, constable Khursheed Ahmed Chauhan, as restitution for the gross violation of his fundamental rights, Live Law.in reported.

The Court also ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch an investigation into the alleged custodial torture of the police constable and directed it to complete the probe within a period of three months.

The Court further ordered the immediate arrest of the police officers of the J&K Police, who were allegedly involved in the torture, within a period of one month.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the case, in which the appellant—a police constable—approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court’s refusal to quash an FIR registered against him under Section 309 IPC (attempt to commit suicide). He alleged that he was subjected to inhuman and degrading torture, including mutilation of his private parts, during a six-day illegal detention from February 20 to 26, 2023, at JIC Kupwara.

Setting aside the High Court’s decision, the judgment authored by Justice Mehta observed that the continuation of criminal proceedings under Section 309 IPC would amount to a travesty of justice, and accordingly quashed the FIR. However, the Court took strong exception to the custodial violence suffered by the appellant during the illegal detention.

In addition to identifying and prosecuting the officers responsible for the abuse, the CBI was also tasked with investigating “systemic issues” at the JIC Kupwara. The Court emphasized the need to determine whether structural or institutional failings enabled a culture of impunity that led to the custodial torture.

Srinagar, July 21: In yet another significant move to combat the drug menace and dismantle the infrastructure supporting narcotics trafficking, Srinagar Police has attached a residential property worth approximately  ₹ 1.5 Crores under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The attached property comprises a two-storeyed residential house along with 1 kanal 4 marlas land, belonging to Gulzar Ahmad Bhat S/o Late Abdul Rehman Bhat R/o Budoo Bagh Khanyar, Srinagar, as per revenue documents, read an official handout.

“It is in the possession of his son namely Suhail Ahmed Bhat, who is a notorious drug peddler, and he is involved in case FIR No. 55/2022 u/s 8/21, 29 of NDPS Act of Police Station Khanyar.

The accused person has a history of involvement in drug peddling, primarily targeting local youth, thereby posing a grave threat to public health and safety.”

Investigations have revealed the aforementioned property was acquired through proceeds from illicit drug trafficking, read the statement further.

“Acting under Sections 68-E and 68-F of the NDPS Act, Srinagar Police formally seized and attached the immovable property as per the due legal process.  The property cannot be sold, transferred, or otherwise dealt with without prior approval from the competent authority.”