ACB arrests SMC Ward Officer for demanding, accepting bribe

Srinagar : Anti Corruption Bureau on Saturday trapped and arrested a ward officer of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) for demanding and accepting bribe from a complainant.
In statement issued on Saturday the J&K ACB said “a written complaint was received wherein it was alleged that Ward Officer SMC of Hawal area of Srinagar is demanding ₹50,000/- as bribe for allowing construction in favour of the complainant”.
Stating that the complainant requested the ward officer and pleaded for justice, who, however, remained adamant on his demand for a bribe, the J&K ACB in it’s statement further said “the said ward officer had asked the complainant to pay a bribe of ₹20,000 as first installment but before paying the bribe amount to the accused person, the complainant approached Anti Corruption Bureau for taking legal action against the accused public servant under law.” It reads that on receipt of the complaint a Case FIR No. 33/2022 U/S 7 PC Act 1988 was registered with this Bureau and investigation was taken up.
The J&K ACB in it’s statement also said that during the course of investigation a trap team was constituted, Stating therein further that the team laid a successful trap and caught the accused public servant Mohd Maqbool Bhat red handed while demanding and accepting bribe amount of ₹20,000 from the complainant as first instalment of ₹50,000.
Stating that the said Ward Officer was arrested on the spot by the ACB team and bribe money was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses, the J&K ACB in it’s statement further said “Subsequently, searches were carried out at different locations associated with the accused. Further investigation into the case is going on”.