Jammu: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday booked a revenue official for demanding and accepting bribe in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.
The ACB laid a trap to catch accused Mohd Hanif, patwari of Tikri area, but he managed to flee from the scene, a spokesman of the anti-graft body said, adding efforts are on to apprehend him.
He said the ACB received a written complaint from a person alleging that despite compliance with the rules to undertake construction of his house, the revenue official was demanding illegal gratification in lieu of allowing the construction work.
The complainant alleged that the official had initially demanded Rs 30,000 but finally settled at Rs 17,000, the spokesman said.
The patwari also threatened that he will not allow the complainant to continue the construction until the bribe amount is paid to him, the ACB said.
On receipt of the complaint, the spokesman said a discreet verification was conducted, which confirmed the demand of bribe by the accused public servant, after which an FIR was registered against him under relevant sections of Prevention of Corruption Act at Police Station ACB Central, Jammu.
During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted and the accused was caught accepting the bribe money in presence of the witnesses, the spokesman said.
However, he managed to escape from the spot and efforts are on to arrest him, he said.
