Srinagar, Dec 31 : In the year 2025, the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) intensified its anti-graft campaign with registering 78 FIRs, including major trap and land scam cases and securing 13 convictions.
Alongside robust investigations, the Bureau reinforced preventive vigilance through 41 alert notes, 91 advisories and extensive public awareness initiatives, reaffirming its zero-tolerance stance on corruption.
According to the year-ender 2025 details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) sustained its vigorous campaign against corruption in 2025, reinforcing transparency, accountability and integrity in public administration.
The details say, the Bureau remained unwavering in its mandate to take decisive action against corrupt practices while bolstering public confidence in governance.
“During the year 2025, the J&K ACB registered and investigated a substantial number of corruption-related cases, including trap cases against public servants for demanding and accepting bribes, as well as matters involving disproportionate assets and misuse of official position.”
The details with KNO, also say the Bureau investigated 78 cases, which included 36 trap cases, 18 disproportionate-assets cases, 15 cases of abuse of official position, 08 cases in connection with a major land scam involving the fraudulent alienation of custodian land and 1 case related to illegal appointments. Charge-sheets were filed before the competent courts in 43 cases, demonstrating the Bureau’s commitment to prompt and professional investigation. Among the cases adjudicated before the Courts, 7 cases ended in conviction in the year 2025, culminating in the conviction of 13 accused persons.
It says, the Anti-Corruption Bureau also laid strong emphasis on preventive vigilance and systemic reforms. These efforts included verification of complaints, scrutiny of suspicious transactions and issuance of advisories to plug procedural loopholes vulnerable to corruption. During the year, 703 verifications (including Miscellaneous and Ors) were carried out in the Bureau leading to successful disposal of 764 amidst them, including matters pending from the previous year.
“During the year 2025, ACB issued 41 alert notes and 91 advisories to the Government, targeting significant systemic deficiencies, procedural lapses, and corruption-prone areas revealed during verifications, surprise checks, and complaint examinations. These communications sought to strengthen internal controls, enhance transparency, and improve accountability in public administration, thereby curbing opportunities for corruption,” it says.
“District Vigilance Officers (DVOs) played a crucial role in reinforcing the anti-corruption architecture of the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau at the departmental level. Serving as the primary interface between the public, government departments, and the ACB, they referred 15,197 matters over the course of last five years, of which 12,406 were disposed of, reflecting a disposal rate of about 90%, while 3,960 matters were disposed off in the year 2025.”
It further says, in the year 2025, the J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau carried out 18 new Joint Surprise Checks (JSCs), successfully concluding 19 such checks (including backlog) during the year. It also registered 25 Preliminary Enquiries (PEs), of which 20 were finalized and disposed of within the same period.
“Public outreach and awareness continued to be a major priority for the ACB throughout 2025. In this regard, the Bureau organized Vigilance Awareness Programmes on two occasions during the year to sensitize stakeholders and promote a culture of integrity in public life.”
The details of further added, these programmes comprised workshops and interactive sessions with citizens, students and government employees, designed to highlight the ill effects of corruption and to underscore the importance of ethical conduct, integrity, and transparency in public life. During these interactions, citizens were also encouraged to actively report instances of corruption through the Bureau’s established, accessible, and confidential complaint mechanisms.
“Capacity building of officers and staff remained a key priority for the Bureau, with a strong emphasis on enhancing skills, knowledge, and professional competence. Regular training programmes for investigating officers were conducted throughout the year, including expert sessions by professionals from universities, banks, and other specialised institutions.”
It further says, these workshops also incorporated case study-based discussions to provide practical insights into complex investigative scenarios. In addition, the Bureau has initiated planning for future training sessions, including specialised courses for newly inducted officers in coordination with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and other investigative agencies.
“These initiatives aim to ensure that staff are well equipped to handle complex investigations while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and efficiency. The J&K Anti-Corruption Bureau reaffirms its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and assures the public that all complaints are dealt with fairly, confidentially, and professionally.”
The details adds, the Bureau remains committed to creating a corruption-free environment and looks forward to sustained cooperation from citizens in this collective effort. This collaborative approach is intended to strengthen public trust and reinforce a culture of transparency and accountability across Jammu and Kashmir.—(KNO)
