‘Spl Secy Horticulture under scanner’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 8: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested Chief Horticulture Officer (CHO) Jammu and a private person in connection with Rs 10 lakh corruption allegedly taken for Special Secretary Horticulture Mohammad Farooq Dar, a senior officer of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS).
A CBI team conducted raid at the residence of CHO Sarabjeet Singh at Sector 4 in Model Town Gangyal this afternoon after getting complaint from a senior officer of the Horticulture Department that Singh and a private person Gowhar Ahmad Dar son of Bashir Ahmad Dar of Sector 6 Channi Himmat sought Rs 10 lakh from him for the Special Secretary Horticulture for his promotion and choice posting.
The complainant was senior from the CHO, official sources told the Excelsior.
The CBI team caught Sarabjeet Singh red handed while taking corruption of Rs 10 lakh from the senior officer and immediately took him into custody.
Subsequently, the CBI sleuths raided the residence of Gowhar Ahmad Dar at Channi Himmat and recovered Rs 3.5 lakh from the house. Dar, as per the sources, is a private person and was working as a conduit for the senior JKAS officer along with the CHO.
“So far, we have recovered Rs 13.5 lakh worth cash from the two accused, both of whom have been arrested,” sources said.
The CBI sleuths produced both the arrested persons before the court this evening.
While Sarabjeet Singh was sent to jail till April 20, Gowhar Ahmad Dar was remanded to police custody till April 11.
Sources said the Special Secretary Horticulture will be called for questioning based on the disclosures of Chief Horticulture Officer and private person.
The shocking demand of a bribe by an officer to be considered for posting and promotion prompted another official to approach the Central Bureau of Investigation with a complaint, sources said.
“A case was registered on complaint against the accused and others on the allegations of demanding a bribe of Rs 10 lakh for the complainant’s posting and to resolve his departmental issues including promotion,” they said.
After doing necessary verification and groundwork, the CBI laid an ambush and arrested the accused
“During searches, some documents including movable/immovable property were also recovered,” the sources said.
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