Srinagar, April 03 (KNO): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu & Kashmir on Friday said it has filed a chargesheet against a Naib Tehsildar and a Patwari from Uri in Baramulla district for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to provide revenue documents.
Officials said one of the accused was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 50,000 during a trap operation.
In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a spokesperson said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu & Kashmir, has presented a charge-sheet before the Hon’ble Court against two public servants, namely Altaf Hussain Khan, then Naib Tehsildar Uri, and Pardeep Kumar, Patwari Halqa Uri, for their involvement in a bribery/trap case FIR No 12-2024 of PS ACB Baramulla .
He said, a complaint was received by ACB from a resident of Uri, District Baramulla, on 11.09.2023, alleging that he had purchased land measuring 10 marlas and constructed a house thereon. Owing to a dispute with the seller, the complainant approached the Tehsil office Uri for requisite revenue documents.
“It was alleged that the accused officials demanded a bribe of ₹10 lakh, which was subsequently negotiated to ₹1 lakh, in lieu of furnishing the required report/documents.”
The spokesperson said, unwilling to succumb to corrupt practices, the complainant approached Police Station ACB Baramulla with a written complaint seeking legal action. Upon verification, a case was registered and a trap was laid. During the operation, accused Altaf Hussain Khan was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 from the complainant.
He said, the tainted amount was recovered from his possession, and he was arrested on the spot. He was subsequently remanded to police/judicial custody by the Hon’ble Court from time to time.
“Investigation into the matter has prima facie established the involvement of both accused officials, including the role of Patwari Pardeep Kumar, based on evidence collected during the course of investigation.”
The spokesperson said, upon completion of the investigation and after obtaining the requisite sanction for prosecution from the Government of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, the ACB has today filed a charge-sheet (challan) against both accused under Section 7 and Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 read with Section 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), before the Hon’ble Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla.
“The Hon’ble Court has fixed 02/05/2026 as the next date in the case. This is the 7th charge-sheet filed in the year 2026 by Police Station ACB Baramulla before the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla in different corruption cases,” he said.—(KNO)