J&K ACB arrests naib tehsildar for accepting bribe in Anantnag

Srinagar, March 25 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), on Wednesday, trapped and arrested a 'naib tehsildar' (executive magistrate) in Anantnag district while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000, officials said.

A statement by the J&K ACB said that it has trapped and arrested a Naib Tehsildar posted in the Arwani area of Anantnag district for demanding and accepting a bribe in connection with a land inheritance mutation case.

The ACB received a written complaint that Arwani Naib Tehsildar, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, is demanding a bribe of Rs 1,00,000 from the complainant's in-laws for inheritance mutation of land measuring 18 Kanals in the name of his wife, three sisters-in-law and one brother-in-law.

The complainant chose not to pay bribe and instead approached the ACB for taking legal action against the said Naib Tehsildar as envisaged under the law.

"On receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted which confirmed the demand by the said government employee and accordingly a case under the FIR was registered under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with the Amendment Act-2018 was registered in the Anantnag ACB police station and the investigation was taken up," the statement said.

It added that during the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted.

The team laid a successful trap and caught Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Dangipora village in Budgam district, posted as the Naib Tehsildar in Anantnag's Arwani village, was caught red handed while demanding and accepting bribe.

"He was arrested on spot and 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 government employee was carried out in presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses. Further investigation of the case filed immediately is underway," the statement added.

--IANS

sq/khz