Srinagar, Jul 1: Anti Corruption Bureau on Friday said to have arrested a revenue department official for demanding and accepting bribe in lieu for issuance of a ‘Fard’ document.

The Bureau also said to have seized an amount in tune of rupees 9 lac from a tout in Akhnoor, Jammu.

“Anti Corruption Bureau received a complaint against Ashok Sharma, Naib Tehsildar and his associates for demanding a bribe of rupees 25 lakh for issuing fard. In his complaint, the complainant alleged that he had applied for issuance of fard in respect of land in the name of his wife measuring 1 kanal 19 marlas under khasra No. 440/299 situated at Mawa Karora, Sungal Morh, Akhnoor before then patwari Halqa Akhnoor Khas namely Ravinder Bhagat. It was alleged that after filing the application, the patwari Ravinder Bhagat and Naib Tehsildar, Ashok Sharma who were at that time posted in the area, approached the complainant through their tout Raman Gupta and asked for a bribe of rupees 30 lakh for the issuance of the fard”, the Bureau spokesperson said in a statement.

“Both of them contacted the complainant and on negotiation the amount was settled at rupees 25 lakh. Thereafter, both Patwari and the Naib Tehsildar were transferred out of that place, but the amount of rupees 25 lakh was still being demanded by Naib Tehsildar Ashok Sharma from the complainant. It was also alleged that the fard was prepared as the complainant had received the soft copy through whatsapp from one Sh. Chiku Gupta, who was the buyer of his land, as the said soft copy of the fard was sent to Chiku Gupta by the tout Raman Gupta. The original copy of fard, which was stated to be retained by the Naib Tehsildar Ashok Sharma was not being provided to the complainant as the Naib Tehsildar Ashok Sharma was demanding the bribe money of rupees 25 lakhs”, reads the statement.

“The Naib Tehsildar demanded to pay the amount of bribe in parts, though he will provide the fard only after getting the full amount of rupees 25 lakh. The complainant had further alleged that he had been asked by the Naib Tehsildar to bring at least rupees 1.50 lakh. On this the complainant approached ACB for appropriate action against the officials.”

“On this complaint, case FIR No. 06/2022 was registered at Police Station ACB Central against the accused persons U/s 7, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 R/w PC (Amendment) Act, 2018 and sec 120-B IPC for investigation. During the course of investigation, a trap was constituted which laid a successful trap during which the accused Ashok Kumar, Naib Tehsildar, presently posted at Gharota was caught red handed while demanding and accepting the bribe of rupees 1.5 lakh from the complainant. He was arrested on the spot by the ACB team. The bribe money was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses. Searches were also conducted in the residential houses of all the accused persons and rupees 9 lakh was seized from Raman Gupta R/o Akhnoor”, reads the statement adding further investigation is going on.