Jammu: The Anti-Corruption Bureau has arrested a Forest Department employee after allegedly catching him red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹15,000 in Kishtwar district.
According to an official statement, the ACB received a written complaint alleging that Vaseem Ahmad Hap, a Forest Guard posted in Forest Division Marwah and handling accounts-related work in the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, had demanded a bribe of ₹20,000 from the complainant for expediting the release of security deposits related to allotted works.
The complainant alleged that after negotiations, the accused agreed to accept ₹15,000 as illegal gratification. Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau and sought legal action against the official.
Following receipt of the complaint, the ACB conducted a discreet verification, which, according to the agency, established a prima facie case regarding the demand for a bribe by the accused public servant.
Subsequently, FIR No. 07/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB Central Jammu under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and an investigation was initiated.
During the investigation, a trap team was constituted by the ACB. The team laid a trap and allegedly caught Vaseem Ahmad Hap, son of Manzoor Ahmad and a resident of Hidyal, Kishtwar, red-handed while demanding and accepting ₹15,000 from the complainant.
The accused was arrested on the spot, and the bribe money was recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap proceedings, the ACB said.
Following the arrest, searches were conducted at the accused’s residential premises in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and independent witnesses.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau stated that further investigation into the case is in progress.
