ACB registers FIR against Patwari for demanding bribe

Jammu, Feb 2: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu on Monday registered an FIR against a Patwari from Udhampur for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 17,000 to allow construction work, officials said.
They said, the complaint, filed by a citizen who had complied with all rules, prompted a discreet verification by the ACB, which confirmed the bribe demand.
In a statement, the Anti Corruption Bureau J&K said of receiving a written complaint wherein the complainant has alleged that despite compliance with all the rules /formalities to undertake construction of the house, the employee of Revenue Department namely Mohd Hanif, Halqa Patwari Tikri, started demanding an illegal gratification initially Rs 30,000 and then finally settled for Rs 17,000 in lieu of allowing the construction work and also threatened the complainant that he will not allow them to lay lanter until the bribe amount is paid to him.
The statement reads, the complainant, stating that he is against corruption, has approached ACB Jammu seeking legal action against the accused official.
“On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted, which confirmed the demand of bribe by the accused public servant. Accordingly, Case FIR No. 01/2026 U/S 7 PC Act 1988 was registered at Police Station ACB Central, Jammu and investigation was taken up,” reads the statement.
It reads as, during the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted which laid a trap. The accused Mohd. Hanif (Patwari) has demanded and accepted a bribe of Rs 17,000 from the complainant in presence of the witnesses. Subsequently, bribe amount was recovered from his office and meanwhile the accused Patwari managed to fled away from the spot. Further, search of the accused and the investigation is going on. (KNO)