BANDIPORA: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested an Assistant Engineer of the Rural Development Department (RDD) and a contractor for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 8,000 for clearing bills related to government works in Bandipora district.
The accused government official has been identified as Mohammad Rafi Moon, posted at RDD Block Arin, while the contractor has been identified as Hilal Ahmad Mir, a resident of Gundpora Rampora, Bandipora.
According to the ACB, the action followed a complaint lodged with its Police Station Baramulla by a person who had completed five government works under the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI).
The complainant alleged that Moon had initially demanded Rs 11,000 for processing the bills, later reducing the amount to Rs 8,000 after negotiations. The official was allegedly withholding the bills after the complainant refused to pay the money.
The ACB said a preliminary verification of the complaint prima facie established the commission of an offence under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018.
Accordingly, FIR No. 07/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB Baramulla on November 12, and a trap team was constituted in the presence of independent witnesses.
During the operation, the Assistant Engineer and the contractor were allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of Rs 8,000. The amount was recovered from their possession, the ACB said.
Both accused have been arrested and taken into custody, while further investigation into the case is underway.