Jammu: Two Forest Department officials were arrested for allegedly taking a bribe to release pending bills to a contractor in Kathua district on Saturday, an Anti-Corruption Bureau official said.
Forester Rashpaul Singh and forest guard Avdesh Singh were caught red-handed while taking an illegal gratification of Rs 15,000 to release pending payment of more than Rs 2.81 lakh to a contractor who had executed fencing work, plantation, pit planting and patch sowing in the Budhi block forest range, the official said.
A case was registered and discreet verification confirmed the bribe demand by the two public servants, he said.
A successful trap was laid and both the accused were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 15,000, in the presence of independent witnesses, from the complainant and subsequently arrested, the Anti-Corruption Bureau official said.
He added searches were conducted in the homes of the accused and further investigation was underway.
