ACB arrests clerk in Boniyar for accepting bribe

Srinagar, Jul 22: Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) Saturday said that it trapped and arrested a clerk in the office of Tehsildar, Boniyar for demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 10,000 from complainant for issuance of appointment order of Lumberdar. “A written complaint was received by Anti Corruption Bureau UT of J&K from the complainant alleging therein that he had applied for the post of Lumberdar Mohura in Tehsil Office Boniyar for which after qualifying the criteria laid down, he was declared a successful candidate. He approached Tehsildar Boniyar, for the receipt of the appointment order,” a statement issued reads.
It further added that when the complainant approached the office of the Tehsildar Boniyar, the concerned Tehsildar advised him to contact his clerk Marefatul Haq. “He contacted said office clerk, who initially demanded Rs 2,000 from the complainant as bribe for preparing and issuing his appointment order as Lumberdar Mohura,” the statement said.
“Under compulsion, the complainant paid Rs 2,000 to the concerned clerk but still no appointment order was given to him. It was also alleged in the complaint that he keep on visiting the office of Tehsildar for issuance of appointment order in his favour but the concerned Clerk demanded Rs 10,000 more from the complainant for preparation & issuance of appointment order,” the ACB said.
The statement added that as the complainant did not want to pay any bribe to the concerned, he under these circumstances approached Anti corruption Bureau with his complaint and requested for legal action against the accused clerk for demanding bribes.
“As the contents of complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offence punishable U/S 7 of the PC Act 1988 by accused public servant namely Marefatul Haq, clerk in the office of Tehsildar Boniyar, accordingly a Case FIR No. 06/2023 was registered at Police Station Anti Corruption Bureau Baramulla U/S 7 of the P.C Act 1988 & the investigation were initiated,” the statement added.
“During the course of investigation a trap team was constituted which laid a successful trap and caught the accused clerk red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in Tehsil office Boniyar. He was arrested on the spot after completing all legal formalities. During his personal search suspicious bundles of currency amounting to Rs 64,500 was also recovered which was also seized as he fail to account for the source of the money recovered from his possession,” ACB said, adding that further investigation in the case are going on and searches at the residence of the accused are being conducted at Chandilora, Tangmarg as well as at Hamdania Colony Bemina.