ACB arrests RDD engineer, contractor for accepting Rs 8,000 bribe in Bandipora
SRINAGAR — The 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 pending work bills in Bandipora district, officials said.
The accused government employee has been identified as Mohd Rafi Moon, Assistant Engineer posted at RDD Block Arin, while the contractor has been identified as Hilal Ahmad Mir, a resident of Gundpora Rampora in Bandipora.
According to the ACB, Police Station Baramulla received a complaint alleging that the complainant had completed five government works under the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) scheme, but the Assistant Engineer was demanding a bribe of Rs 11,000 for passing the bills.
The amount was later negotiated down to Rs 8,000. The complainant alleged that despite refusing to pay the bribe, the officer was deliberately withholding the bills.
The ACB said a discreet verification was conducted, which prima facie established the commission of a cognisable 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 an investigation was initiated.
Following the registration of the case, 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 amount of Rs 8,000.
The bribe money was recovered from their possession, the ACB said.
Both accused have been arrested and taken into custody, while further investigation in the case is underway. — (KIMS)
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