Srinagar, Nov 12: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday said it had arrested an Assistant Engineer of the Rural Development Department (RDD) and a contractor for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 for clearing pending bills related to five government works in Bandipora district.
In a statement, the ACB said the accused Assistant Engineer, identified as Mohd Rafi Moon, posted at Block Arin, had initially demanded Rs 11,000 as bribe for clearing the bills, which was later reduced to Rs 8,000 after negotiations.
The ACB said its Police Station Baramulla had received a complaint alleging that the Assistant Engineer was deliberately withholding the complainant’s bills despite the completion of five government PRI works and his refusal to pay the bribe.
Following the complaint, the Bureau conducted a discreet verification, which prima facie established the commission of a cognizable offence under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.
Accordingly, FIR No. 07/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla on November 12, and an investigation was initiated.
The ACB said a trap team was subsequently constituted in the presence of independent witnesses and a successful trap was laid, during which the Assistant Engineer and another accused, identified as Hilal Ahmad Mir, son of Mohd Ramzan Mir, a resident of Gundpora Rampora, Bandipora, were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 8,000.
The amount was recovered from the conscious possession of the accused persons and authenticated through independent witnesses and other supporting evidence, the statement said. Both accused have been arrested and taken into custody, while further investigation into the case is underway—(KNO)
