J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau on Wednesday arrested a Revenue Official while demanding and accepting Rs 10,000 bribe in Reasi.
In a statement to the news agency an ACB spokesman said: “Accused public servant, Mohammad Saleem Banday, Girdawar, Halqa Judda, Tehsil Arnas, District Reasi unlawfully demanded a bribe from the complainant in lieu of carrying out the demarcation of his ancestral land. It’s an official duty the accused was legally obligated to perform without any monetary consideration. Unwilling to yield to the corrupt demand, the complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau seeking legal action against the accused under the provisions of law.”
“Upon receipt of the complaint, the ACB conducted a thorough discreet verification exercise, which corroborated the demand of bribe by the accused public servant. Based on the verified findings, FIR No. 04/2026 was formally registered at Police Station ACB Udhampur and a detailed investigation was initiated forthwith,” he said, adding, “During the course of investigation, a specialized trap team headed by an officer of the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) was constituted. The team successfully executed the trap operation, during which the accused was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses. The accused was arrested on the spot in strict adherence to due process of law, and the bribe money was recovered from his possession in the presence of the trap team witnesses.”
“Subsequently, a search was also conducted at the residential premises of the accused at Sallian Talab, Udhampur, in the presence of a Magistrate, as required under the law. The spokesman said that already 2 FIRs stand registered against the accused at Police Station ACB Udhampur.