Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested a Rural Development Department (RDD) official in Budgam for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹40,000 from a complainant for processing bills under the MGNREGA scheme.
According to officials, the ACB received a written complaint alleging that Sajad Ahmad Raina, Technical Assistant in the office of RDD Block Budgam and a resident of Kralwari Budgam, had demanded ₹40,000 for preparing and releasing bills in favour of the complainant for work completed under the MGNREGA scheme.
During pre-trap verification, the allegations were found to be substantiated, with the accused reportedly insisting on payment of the bribe. The complainant, unwilling to pay the amount, approached the ACB after arranging ₹5,000 in cash and a cheque of ₹35,000.
Following verification, the ACB registered FIR No. 06/2026 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, at Police Station ACB Srinagar and initiated an investigation.
A trap team was subsequently constituted, which laid a successful trap and caught the accused red-handed in the office of RDD Block Budgam while demanding and accepting ₹5,000 in cash and a cheque of ₹35,000 from the complainant.
Officials said that during a search of the accused’s handbag, an additional ₹39,300 in cash was recovered.
The accused was taken into custody after completion of medico-legal formalities, and further investigation into the case is underway, ACB officials said.
