R&B’s AEE Sopore caught red-handed while accepting bribe: ACB

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday said to have caught AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore red handed for demanding 2 per cent commission & accepting bribe of Rs 25000 from contractor.

As per a statemebr issued to the news agency Anti-Corruption Bureau received a complaint from a contractor [complainant] against AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore namely Mubarak Ahmad Ganie alleging therein that said AEE is demanding commission @ 2% as bribe from him for processing his current bill as well as on previous bills cleared by him.

“It was alleged by the contractor/complainant that he was executing a work titled Construction of Lecture Block G+2 of GDC Sopore under supervision of PWD R&B division sopore for which CC 8th bill was prepared & checked by the concerned JE but when he approached AEE Mubarak Ahmad Ganie for further processing his bill for payments, AEE demanded his commission @ 2% as bribe from contractor on current bill as well as on previous bills of contractor checked /cleared by him,” the statement reads.

It added that the complainant further alleged that AEE is refusing to process his bill further unless his commission @2% is paid by complainant [contractor] to him,as complainant was not interested in paying bribe to AEE ,under these circumstances complainant approached ACB with his written complaint and requested for legal action against AEE Mubarak Ahmad Ganie for demanding commission 2% from him and for not processing his pending bill for payments without receiving said 2% commission.

“On receipt of the complaint, the allegations were verified discreetly by the Anti Corruption Bureau .The complaint and subsequent discreet verification report prima facie discloses commission of offence punishable under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) on the part of Sh Mubarak Ahmad Ganie, AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore, District Baramulla,” the statement added.

Accordingly, the statement said that a case under FIR number 13-2024 under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) was registered against Mubarak Ahmad Ganie, AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore, District Baramulla at PS ACB Baramulla & investigations were put into motion.

“During investigation, a trap team headed by Dy.SP rank officer was constituted at PS ACB Baramulla. The team laid a successful trap and accused AEE was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs. 25000/- from contractor [complainant] at PWD R&B office sopore District Baramulla on 16-10-2024. Accordingly, after completing all legal formalities the accused AEE was arrested on the spot. The bribe money of Rs 25000/- was also recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses, beside this during his personal search some cash was also recovered from his possession which is subject matter of further investigations, it said.

Subsequently residential house as well as official accommodation of the accused was also searched following due process laid down under law ,during which incriminating documents were recovered & seized in presence of magistrate & independent witnesses.

Meanwhile as mandated under law, the accused AEE was presented before Hon’ble court of spl judge Anti-corruption court Baramulla and was remanded for 9 days police custody, the statement said, adding that further investigation of the instant case is going on—(KNO)