Srinagar, May 21, KNT: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday said it trapped and arrested two officials of the Irrigation Division Anantnag while they were allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 1 lakh for disposal of a land-related complaint.
The accused were identified as Nazir Ahmad Wani, a Ziladar, and Bilal Ahmad Wagay, a Patwari posted in Irrigation Division Anantnag.
According to an ACB statement, the action followed a written complaint alleging that the two officials had demanded money in connection with an application regarding alleged encroachment on government land at Ashajipora near Dabruna in Anantnag.
The complainant alleged that the officials demanded Rs 1 lakh for settling or rejecting the complaint at their level.
ACB said the officials had initially sought an amount equivalent to the value of one marla of land at the site, estimated at nearly Rs 4 lakh, before the demand was allegedly reduced to Rs 1 lakh following repeated requests.
The complainant, unwilling to pay the bribe, approached the Anti-Corruption Bureau seeking legal action.
The case revolves around a land dispute that officials allegedly attempted to link to monetary settlement.
According to ACB, a discreet verification was conducted after receipt of the complaint.
During verification, the agency said it found that the land under dispute was not state land but proprietary land belonging to the complainant and that the bribery allegation stood substantiated.
Following verification, ACB registered FIR No. 05/2026 at Police Station ACB Anantnag under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, and launched formal investigation.
Investigators subsequently constituted a trap team which laid a planned operation.
According to the bureau, both officials were caught red-handed while allegedly demanding and accepting the bribe amount.
The accused were arrested on the spot and the cash allegedly paid as bribe was recovered from their possession in the presence of independent witnesses associated with the trap proceedings.
The operation was followed by searches at the residential premises of both accused officials.
ACB said the searches were conducted in the presence of Executive Magistrates and independent witnesses as part of the ongoing investigation.
The arrests add to a series of anti-corruption operations undertaken by ACB targeting alleged bribery and abuse of official position in government departments across Jammu and Kashmir.
The bureau said investigation into the case was continuing. [KNT]
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