Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 15: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) today arrested Naib Tehsildar Uri for demanding a bribe of Rs 10 lakh and was remanded to 10 days police custody.
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An ACB statement said here that they received a complaint against Naib Tehsildar Uri Altaf Hussain Khan for allegedly demanding bribe of Rs. 10 lakhs from complainant for preparing land documents and for submitting report to Tehsildar Uri on application moved by the complainant before Tehsildar Uri few days back.
It was alleged by complainant that he had purchased a piece of land measuring 10 marlas falling under survey 307 at Rajarwani, Uri from one Mohammad Sadeeq of Bandi Brahmana Uri and also constructed a house on it, the plot was purchased for an amount of Rs 5 lakhs but seller fail to provide him revenue documents of said land in time as per sale agreement entered between parties due to which complainant couldn’t get mutation of said land done in his favour therefore he approached Tehsildar Uri with application .
That Tehsildar Uri directed Patwari to visit spot and submit the report in matter, when complainant approached Patwari Pardeep Kumar he took complainant to Naib Tehsildar Uri, Altaf Hussain Khan where Naib Tehsildar demanded bribe of Rs 10 lakh from complainant in presence of Patwari which was later on negotiated by Sarpanch of the area and finally, it was decided that complainant will pay first installment of Rs 50000 to Naib tehsildar Uri before report is submitted.
That as the complainant was not in favour of paying bribe, he approached ACB with written complaint requesting therein legal action against Naib Tehsidlar Uri Altaf Hussain Khan for demanding bribe from him.
On receipt of the complaint ,the allegations were verified discreetly by the ACB Baramulla ,the probe conducted reveal that Khan was demanding bribe from complainant ,which confirms the demand of bribe by the accused Naib Tehsildar Altaf Hussain Khan as well as abetment by Patwari Pardeep Kumar who took complainant to Naib Tehsildar without preparing any report & ask complainant to do what Naib Tehsildar is asking for before report /documents are prepared.
Accordingly on the basis of findings and recommendations of the enquiry officer, a case FIR No. 12/2024 under section 7 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (r/w its amendment act 2018) is registered on 14-09-2024 in P/S ACB Baramulla against Altaf Hussain Khan, Naib Tehsildar Uri district Baramulla for demanding bribe & under section 12 of PC Act 1988 against Pardeep Kumar, Patwari for abetment and investigation was set into motion.
During investigation, a trap team headed by DSP rank officer was constituted at PS ACB Baramulla. The team laid a successful trap and accused Naib Tehsildar was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs. 50,000 from the complainant. Accordingly, after completing all legal formalities accused Naib Tehsildar, Altaf Hussain Khan was arrested on the spot. The bribe money of Rs 50,000 was also recovered in the presence of independent witnesses.
It was also found that Naib Tehsildar was recently booked by ACB Baramulla in case FIR No 08/2024 of PS ACB Baramulla with other officials of Revenue department for abuse of official position and insertions in revenue record etc which is also under investigation.
The accused was presented before Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court Baramulla and was remanded for 10 days police custody.
Further investigation of the instant case is going on. The role of Patwari and Sarpanch are being looked into.