The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday arrested a Junior Assistant in the office of the Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Rajouri for demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000.
The ACB received a complaint stating that the complainant wanted to register 3 marlas of land in his name at the ACR Rajouri office. He had submitted the file to the concerned clerk, Umar Nawaz, who holds the additional charge of Junior Assistant/Sub-Registrar Rajouri. However, Umar Nawaz demanded a bribe of Rs 15,000 for processing the registration. After negotiations, the bribe amount was reduced to Rs 4,000, according to a statement issued to Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
“As the complainant was financially constrained and unwilling to give illegal gratification, he approached the ACB for legal action against the accused public servant. Consequently, FIR no. 04/2025 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) was registered at ACB Police Station Rajouri, and investigation was initiated,” the statement said.
During the investigation, a trap team was formed. The team laid a successful trap and caught Umar Nawaz, son of Naseer Hussain from Saaz, Tehsil Thanamandi, currently posted as Junior Assistant in the office of Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Rajouri (Nazir Section) with additional charge as Junior Assistant Sub-Registrar, Rajouri, red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 4,000.
The accused was arrested on the spot by the ACB team following due legal procedures. The bribe money was recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap team.
Further, the ACB conducted searches at the accused’s residence in Thanamandi, Rajouri. The investigation into the case is ongoing.
