ACB traps, arrests Patwari in Shopian for taking bribe

Srinagar, Dec 20: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday trapped and arrested a revenue official, of Shopian district while accepting a bribe of rupees 25,000 for issuing a favourable report in a property case.
According to a statement, J&K Anti Corrupting Bureau received a written complaint alleging therein that complainant had submitted an application in Tehsil Office Shopian, regarding the equal proportion of ancestral property of his wife and his sister in law, which had not been transferred in equal share of their ancestral property amongst their siblings (04 sisters).
The statement reads, the application was submitted before Tehsildar Shopian near about three months before, and Tehsildar concerned has forwarded his application to concerned Patwari for necessary action. When the complainant approached the Patwari of Patwar Halqa Pinjura Shopian, he (Patwari) demanded ₹25000 as bribe from the complainant in lieu of providing favourable report.
“The complainant chose not to pay bribe and instead approached Anti Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the Patwari as provided under law,” it reads.
The statement reads, on receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted which confirmed the demand by the said patwari and accordingly Case FIR No. 05/2025 u/s 7 of P/C Act 1988 was registered in PS ACB Anantnag and investigation was taken up.
“During the course of investigation a trap team was constituted. The team laid a successful trap and caught the said patwari red handed while demanding and accepting bribe. He was arrested on spot by the ACB team. The bribe amount was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.”
“Subsequently, search of residential house of the accused Patwari was carried out in presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses. Further investigation of the instant case is going on,” reads the statement further. (KNO)