STATE TIMES NEWS
BANDIPORA: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has apprehended a forester ‘red-handed’ while demanding and accepting a bribe in the Budgam Tulail area of Gurez valley in Bandipora district.
“Mohd Sultan Bhat, the Incharge Block Forester of Budgam Tulail and son of Ab Jabbar Bhat from Ayatmulla Bandipora, was arrested after being caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from a contractor.
The ACB received a complaint from a contractor alleging therein that he is executing the work allotted to him under JJM Scheme in Special sub Division Gurez during which he is being harassed by the forester Block Tulail Gurez on pretext of NOC & is demanding bribe of Rs 30,000, the ACB spokesman said.
“The complainant alleges that as contractor he was allotted many works of various government departments which he completed as per given allotments and in the year 2022, he has received allotments in two different works under JJM Scheme issued by Executive Engineer Special Sub Division Gurez in his favour. The works allotted were Providing, laying and fitting of GI Pipes including replacement/improvement of damaged/worn-out pipes etc for retrofitting of WSS Sardab for 100 % coverage of FHTCs vide allotment order No. 14 EE/SSDG/2022-23 dated 19.10.2022 and Providing, laying and fitting of GI Pipes including construction of protection work etc for retrofitting of WSS Gulshanpora for 100% coverage of FHTCs vide allotment order No. 15 EE/SSDG/2022-23 dated 19.10.2022,” spokesman said.
” The complainant further stated that both these villages Gulshanpora and Sardab are situated in Tulail area of Gurez District Bandipora and there is short time period to complete these works due to early cold weather there and that while his labour was working at Gratnar Gulshanpora Budogam Tulail for laying of pipe line of abovesaid schemes, Forester of Tulail namely Mohd Sultan stopped the work on the excuse of NOC and is demanding a bribe of Rs 30,000 to allow the continuation of work,” spokesman added.
On receipt of the complaint the allegations were discreetly verified.
The discreet probe conducted revealed that the allegations leveled in the complaint by the complainant were true and public servant was demanding bribe from complainant for settling NOC issue and allowing complainant to work smoothly in the forest area. Accordingly on the basis of findings & recommendations of the Enquiry Officer prima facie offences u/s 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) were made out against the alleged accused public servant Mohd Sultan, Forester Tulail Gurez District Bandipora R/O Ayatmulla Bandipora, as such Case FIR No. 03/2023 was registered at this Police Station ACB Baramulla u/s 7 of the PC Act 1988 (as amended in 2018) against above mentioned accused public servant & the investigation put into motion.
Immediately after registration of the FIR a team headed by DySP Rank officer was constituted to lay trap on the public servant which caught accused red handed while demanding and accepting bribe from complainant at Gurez District Bandipura. The accused was arrested on spot and bribe money of Rs 30,000 was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses.
Further investigations of the case are going on, the spokesman added.