According to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Patwari Halqa Fatehpora, District Anantnag, was apprehended and detained on Thursday after he demanded and accepted a payment of Rs 5,000 in exchange for providing income records.
According to a statement provided to the Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the J&K Anti Corrupting Bureau received a complaint claiming that Mohammad Ayoub Hajam, Patwari, Halqa Fatehpora, is requesting a bribe of Rs 9000 in exchange for a certified copy of an online mutation pertaining to land that the complainant’s wife purchased in February of this year. But after some haggling, 5000 rupees was agreed upon.
“The statement states that the complainant opted not to pay bribe and instead approached the Anti Corruption Bureau to take legal action against the accused Patwari as provided by law.”
Following receipt of the complaint, a covert investigation was carried out to validate the demand made by the aforementioned Patwari. As a result, a case was filed in PS ACB Anantnag under FIR number 04/2024 in accordance with section 7 of the P/C Act 1988, and an inquiry was launched.
A trap team was established during the study. After setting up a successful trap, the team apprehended Mohammad Ayoub Hajam, son of Mohammad Ramzan, resident of Vessu, District Anantnag, with the intent of bribing the complainant for Rs 5,000. The ACB crew promptly arrested him.
In front of impartial witnesses connected to the trap team, the bribe amount was also retrieved from his possession,” the statement states, noting that more inquiry into the current case is ongoing.