STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: After four months of convicting a Patwari in a trap case, Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu, Tahir Khurshid Raina, has now convicted and sentenced Girdawar Mohd Ashraf in a similar trap case, handing down a 2-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000. Girdawar was taken into custody and sent to District Jail Jammu to serve his sentence. The court further directed that copies of the judgment be sent to the Commissioner/Secretary of the Revenue Department, J&K. This action was taken in light of the two consecutive convictions of Revenue Officials, aiming to highlight the systemic shortcomings and corruption within the department. During the sentencing, Special Judge Tahir Khurshid Raina, after hearing Assistant Public Prosecutor Irshad Ahmed Sheikh for the ACB, and Senior Advocate Vikram Sharma along with Advocates K S Charak and Goutam for the accused person, observed that just four months ago, this court had convicted and sentenced a Patwari. This emphasized the significant role of a Patwari and their importance at the grassroots level in society. However, it is troubling that only four months later, another official higher in status, a Girdawar, who was discharging Patwari duties, has also been convicted for demanding and accepting bribes. The court noted that this consecutive conviction of Revenue Officials highlights the deep-rooted issues within the Revenue department’s functioning. This becomes even more apparent when the court regularly receives complaints, FIRs, and charge sheets related to alleged fraud involving Revenue Officials. This pattern suggests a lack of accountability within the system, echoing Shakespeare’s famous line “something is rotten in the state of Denmark.” The court further pointed out that these criminal acts attributed to Revenue officials have broader implications than just violations of the Prevention of Corruption Act. They are a source of ongoing conflict, chaos, and various forms of crime within society. Sometimes, these issues escalate into serious criminal cases, resulting in irreversible damage to people and resources. While reiterating its concerns about the growing corruption, the court specifically addressed the officials in charge of the Revenue Department, urging them to take decisive action to eliminate corruption across all levels, particularly at the grassroots level where citizens are most affected. With these considerations, the court ordered that the accused be subjected to one year of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 for violating Section 4-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Svt. 2006, and another one year of simple imprisonment along with the same fine for violating Section 5(2) of the Act. Both sentences were to run concurrently. In case the fines were not paid, the convict would undergo an additional three months of simple imprisonment.