Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 5: The Anti-Corruption Bureau Kashmir today arrested a Block Development Council member on charges of bribery and are investigating the role of District Mineral Officer Ganderbal in the case.
A complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau with a written complaint against public servants Majid Aziz, District Mineral Officer Ganderbal and Gowhar Ahmad Reshi, BDC member, alleging demand of bribe for issuance of disposal permit.
“It was alleged that the complainant is an authorized material supplier and sought a disposal permit from the DMO Ganderbal after completing all procedural formalities. However, the issuance of permit was delayed on one or the other pretext. When he approached DMO Ganderbal Majid Aziz, the complainant was asked to visit BDC member Gowhat Ahmad and do whatever he demanded. The complainant accordingly approached Gowhar Ahmad who demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 for the issuance of documents out of which Rs 10,000 was to be paid in advance today,” the ACB in a statement said.
Lt said that the complainant chose not to pay a bribe and instead approached the agency for taking legal action against the accused public servant as provided under law. “On receipt of the complaint, a Case FIR No. 01/2024 U/S 7 PC Act 1988 was registered at PS ACB Srinagar and investigation taken up,” the statement added.
“During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the accused BDC member red handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of Rs 10,000 from the complainant”, it said.
The ACB statement said that the money was recovered from the accused on spot. “The accused has been identified as Gowhar Ahmad Reshi S/o Sonaullah Reshi R/o Safapora Ganderbal, BDC member. Role of DMO Majid Aziz in the matter is being investigated,” it added.
“Further investigation into the case is going on. ACB has appealed to the people not to pay bribe to any public servant and in the event of such a demand, the can approach ACB,” the statement added.
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