Srinagar, Oct 17: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday said to have caught AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore red-handed for demanding a 2 percent commission & accepting a bribe of Rs 25000 from the contractor.
In a statement, the Anti-Corruption Bureau received a complaint from a contractor [complainant] against AEE PWD (R&B) Division Sopore namely Mubarak Ahmad Ganie alleging therein that AEE is demanding commission @ 2% as a 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 spore 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 the complainant [contractor] to him, as the complainant was not interested in paying a 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 disclose the commission of an offense punishable under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) on the part of 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 the 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 a bribe of Rs. 25000/- from contractor [the 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, besides this during his search some cash was also recovered from his possession which is subject matter of further investigations, it said.
Subsequently residential house as well as the official accommodation of the accused was also searched following due process laid down under law, during which incriminating documents were recovered & seized in the presence of the magistrate & independent witnesses.
Meanwhile as mandated under law, the accused AEE was presented before the court of Special Judge, Anti-corruption court Baramulla, and was remanded for 9 days of police custody, the statement said, adding that further investigation of the instant case is going on.
