Srinagar, Dec 28 : Anti-corruption Bureau on Thursday said to have arrested a Range Officer in Khuehama Forest Division in Bandipora for allegedly demanding and accepting bribes in lieu of processing a bill.
“Anti Corruption Bureau received a written complaint against Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi, Range officer, Kuhihama, Bandipora from a complainant alleging therein that concerned officer is demanding bribe as commission of ₹10,000 for processing his Bill for release of due payments”, reads a Bureau statement issued to GNS.
“The complainant further alleged that he is contractor and had completed the allotted work for an amount of ₹3,21,000 and that after completing the said work the forest department has already released two bills in his favour. However, the final bill to the tune of about Rs. One lac is pending with the said department from last one and half month for which concerned Range Officer Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi put a demand of bribe as his commission of ₹15,000 for all three bills including already two released bills.
That said amount after negotiations with accused Range officer, was settled on ₹10,000 the complainant arranged ₹10,000 and approached ACB with a complaint requesting for legal action”, reads the statement.
“On receipt of complaint which prima facie disclosed the commission of offence punishable U/s 7 of the PC Act 1988 (as amended in 2018), accordingly case FIR No. 13/2023 was registered at PS ACB Baramulla and investigation was taken up”, reads the statement.
During the course of investigation, the statement reads, a trap team was constituted headed by DySP rank officer. “The team laid a successful trap and caught accused public servant namely Mushtaq Ahmad Sofi S/o Late Assadullah Sofi R/o Onagam, Bandipora posted as Range Officer, Kuhihama forest range, Bandipora while demanding and accepting the bribe money of ₹10,000. The bribe amount was recovered from the possession of the accused in the presence of independent witnesses.”
“The accused was immediately taken into custody after following due process as laid down under law and searches at his residence were conducted”, reads the statement.
“Further investigation of the case is going on”, the statement added. (GNS)
