ACB files chargesheet against forest official in trap case

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Mar 16: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed a charge-sheet against then Junior Assistant in Forest Department in a bribe case in the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Pulwama.
An ACB spokesman said Tuesday evening that ACB produced chargesheet in Case FIR Number 05/2019 Police Station (PS) ACB Anantnag, U/S 5(1) r/w 5 (2), 4-A J&K PC Act SVT 2006 (Amendment) Act 2014, against Ghulam Mohammad, the then Junior Assistant in Forest Department Awantipora, in the court of Special Judge Anti-Corruption Pulwama.
The next date of hearing is April 3, 2021, he said. Giving details he said a case was registered by PS ACB Anantnag on receipt of a written complaint to the effect that the complainant is running a factory situated at Khunmoh Industrial Area phase III and intent to renew the licence of factory which expired in the month of Feb-2019.
He has visited the office of forest department (DFO Office) Awantipora many times for the renewal of licence. Ghulam Mohammad of DFO Office Awantipora, demanded Rs 7000 as bribe for the renewal of license. The complainant has made several requests to the said clerk for reduction of amount for the renewal of the licence.
The complainant further stated that the clerk had directed him to pay the said bribe amount. The complainant being against paying the bribe to the clerk arranged Rs 7000 .
He approached ACB P/S ACB along with bribe money of Rs.7000 for taking necessary action against the clerk. On the receipt of the complaint a case FIR No. 05/2019 U/S 5 (2) of J&K PC Act SVT-2006, 4-A (amendment) Act-2014 was registered in PS ACB Anantnag. Accordingly a trap team was constituted and the accused was caught red handed while demanding and accepting Rs 7000.
During the course of investigation the statements of trap team members along with independent witness were recorded u/s 161 CrPC which corroborated and established the fact of demand and acceptance of bribe by the accused. After obtaining sanction from the Government, chargesheet was produced in court of law.