Srinagar, Jul 16 (KNO): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday trapped and arrested a Patwari posted at Patwar Halqa Mahanpur in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district for allegedly demanding and accepting a Rs 10,000 bribe from a complainant for providing mutation-related documents after attestation.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said the Anti-Corruption Bureau registered a case (FIR No. 05/2026) under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 at Police Station ACB Jammu against Khajan Chand, Patwari, Patwar Halqa Mahanpur (Kathua), for allegedly demanding and accepting illegal gratification from the complainant.
He said the accused had initially demanded a bribe of Rs 20,000 from the complainant for providing documents after getting the mutation attested in favour of the complainant’s sister. Of the amount, the complainant had already paid Rs 9,000, while the accused was demanding the remaining Rs 11,000, which was later negotiated and settled at Rs 10,000 for providing the documents along with a copy of the mutation.
“Since the complainant did not want to pay the bribe, he approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau for legal action against the accused public servant,” the spokesperson said.
He said that upon receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted, which corroborated the allegation. Accordingly, an FIR was registered at Police Station ACB Jammu and an investigation was taken up.
During the investigation, the spokesperson said, a trap team was constituted, which laid a successful trap. The accused Patwari was caught red-handed while accepting the bribe amount from the complainant in the presence of independent witnesses.
The spokesperson said the accused was arrested on the spot after following due process of law. The bribe money was also recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses.
He added that searches were being conducted at the accused’s residence in accordance with the law, while further investigation into the case is underway—(KNO)