SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested a man for allegedly accepting a bribe on behalf of a patwari for issuance of revenue extracts in Srinagar.
According to an ACB statement, the bureau received a written complaint alleging that Saleem Altaf, Patwari of Halqa Batamaloo, through his associate Ab Hamid Khan, a land broker, had demanded illegal gratification from a complainant for issuing revenue extracts related to his house.
The complainant had applied online for the documents on behalf of his father for attestation of a mutation. The complaint alleged that an initial demand of Rs 20,000 was made and later settled at Rs 16,000.
The complainant further alleged that he had already paid Rs 5,000 through the intermediary and was asked to pay the remaining Rs 11,000 for issuance of the revenue extracts.
Following verification of the allegations, the ACB registered FIR No. 13/2026 at Police Station ACB Srinagar under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and initiated an investigation.
During the investigation, a trap team was constituted by the ACB. Officials said Ab Hamid Khan was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 11,000 as illegal gratification on behalf of the patwari.
The accused was taken into custody. During his personal search, the trap amount of Rs 11,000, cash amounting to Rs 25,125, payment slips, the revenue extract in question and a sale deed were recovered and seized as part of the investigation, the ACB said.
The bureau said the alleged involvement of Patwari Saleem Altaf in the demand and acceptance of the bribe through the intermediary was being investigated.
Further investigation is in progress.
