Srinagar: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) caught red-handed a senior revenue official while accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a complainant for completing land documents in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said on Sunday.
An ACB statement said a complaint against Naib Tehsildar Uri, identified as Altaf Hussain Khan alleging therein that the officer has demanded a bribe of Rs 10 lakh from the complainant for preparing land documents and for submitting a report to Tehsildar Uri on the application moved by the complainant before Tehsildar Uri a few days back.
It was alleged by the complainant that he had purchased a piece of land measuring 10 marlas falling under survey 307 at Rajarwani, Uri from one Mohammad Sadeeq a resident of Bandi Brahmana Uri and also constructed a house on it. The plot was purchased for an amount of Rs 5 lacs but seller failed to provide him revenue documents of the land in time as per sale agreement entered between parties due to which the complainant couldn’t get mutation of said land done in his favor therefore he approached Tehsildar Uri with application .
“The Tehsildar Uri directed Patwari to visit spot and submit the report in matter, when complainant approached Patwari Pardeep Kumar he took complainant to Naib Tehsildar Uri, Altaf Hussain Khan where Naib Tehsildar demanded bribe of Rs 10 lac from complainant in presence of patwari which was later on negotiated by Sarpanch of the area and finally, it was decided that complainant will pay first installment of fifty thousand to Naib tehsildar uri before report is submitted”, ACB statement said.
As the complainant was not in favour of paying bribe, the complainant approached ACB with a written complaint requesting a legal action against Naib Tehsidlar Uri Khan for demanding bribe from him.
On receipt of the complaint,the allegations were verified discreetly by the ACB Police Station Baramulla and the probe conducted reveal that Naib Tehsildar Uri was demanding bribe from complainant ,which confirms the demand of bribe by the accused Naib tehsildar Altaf Hussain Khan as well as abetment by Patwari Pardeep Kumar who took complainant to Naib Tehsildar without preparing any report and ask complainant to do what Naib Tehsildar is asking for before report /documents are prepared.
“Accordingly based on findings and recommendations of the inquiry officer, a case under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 has been registered on September 14 against Altaf Hussain Khan, Naib Tehsildar Uri District Baramulla for demanding a bribe & under section 12 of PC Act 1988 against Pardeep Kumar, Patwari for abetment and investigation was set into motion”, ACB said.
“During the investigation, a trap team headed by Deputy Superintendent rank officer was constituted at Police Station ACB Baramulla who laid a successful trap and accused Naib Tehsildar was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs. 50,000 from the complainant”, the ACB statement said and added “accordingly, after completing all legal formalities the accused Naib Tehsildar Khan was arrested on the spot and the bribe money was also recovered in the presence of independent witnesses”.
It was also found that Naib Tehsildar was recently booked with other officials of the revenue department for abuse of official position & insertions in revenue record etc which is also under investigation.
The accused was presented before the court of Special Judge Anti Corruption court Baramulla and was remanded for ten days in police custody.
Further investigation of the instant case is going on. The role of patwari and sarpanch are being looked into, ACB said. UNI
