Excelsior Correspondent
SOPORE, Dec 17: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today trapped and arrested a senior grade fireman posted in the Office of Deputy Director, Fire and Emergency Services Sopore, for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000.
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Nisar Ahmad Wani was arrested on the complaint of an individual who alleged that the former demanded Rs 5000 for issuing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) necessary to open a timber sale depot in Baramulla, said an ACB official.
According to him, the complainant had applied online for a timber depot license and completed all formalities except obtaining the mandatory NOC from the Fire Department.
Quoting the complainant, he said, Wani initially delayed the issuance of the NOC and later demanded a bribe.
“The amount was negotiated to 4,500, of which Rs 1,500 had already been paid through a bank account to an unknown person, allegedly as a fee. Wani also compelled the complainant to purchase equipment from selected vendors at higher prices,” the ACB official said.
Unwilling to pay further bribes, he said, the complainant approached the ACB, leading to a discreet verification of the allegations.
The investigation confirmed Wani’s involvement, and an FIR under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018), was registered, he said.
Subsequently, the ACB official said that a trap team, led by a DySP, caught Nisar Ahmad Wani red-handed at the Fire Service Office in Sopore while accepting the bribe.
The bribe money was recovered on-the-spot in the presence of independent witnesses and Wani was taken into custody after completing legal formalities, the ACB official added.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
Meanwhile, in a statement, the ACB has urged the public to report any demands for bribes by Government officials through their helpline number 9419678060 or via email at director.vigilance@jk.gov.in.
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