ACB Arrests Panchayat Secretary in Anantnag for Accepting ₹5,000 Bribe in MGNREGA Case
Jammu, April 9, KNT: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday arrested a Panchayat Secretary posted in Block Devsar of Kulgam district after he was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ₹5,000 for clearing MGNREGA labor bills, officials said.
The accused has been identified as Shiekh Zada Irfan, son of Shiekh Abdul Rashid, a resident of Muniwara in Anantnag district. He was working as a Panchayat Secretary (VLW) in Block Devsar, Kulgam.
According to an official statement, the ACB received a written complaint alleging that the official had demanded ₹10,000 from the complainant for processing and clearing pending bills related to labor charges under MGNREGA works executed by him.
The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau seeking legal action against the official. Following receipt of the complaint, officials conducted a discreet verification, which confirmed the demand for illegal gratification.
Based on the findings, a case under FIR No. 04/2026 was registered at Police Station ACB Anantnag under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with the 2018 amendment, and investigation was initiated.
During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted to catch the accused in the act. Officials said the team successfully laid a trap and apprehended the Panchayat Secretary while he was demanding and accepting the bribe amount, which had been negotiated down to ₹5,000.
“He was arrested on the spot, and the bribe money was recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses,” the statement said.
Subsequently, the ACB conducted a search of the accused’s residential house in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and independent witnesses, in accordance with legal procedures.
Officials said further investigation into the case is ongoing to examine all aspects related to the allegations and any possible additional links. [KNT]
