Srinagar, Sep 12, KNT: At least 41 arrest instances involving Patwaris have been identified in the records of the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) reviewed by KNT since 2019, with the number of documented arrests showing a notable rise during the past two years.
The review shows that two Patwaris were arrested in 2019 and another two in 2020. The number increased to five in 2021 and seven in 2022, before standing at four each in 2023 and 2024. In 2025, the ACB records reviewed by KNT show 10 Patwari arrests, while seven such arrests have been verified so far in 2026.
The figures represent arrest instances identified in ACB records and should not be interpreted as the number of unique individuals, as the subsequent stages of a case, including chargesheeting and conviction, may occur in later years.
The cases reviewed by KNT largely involve allegations of demanding or accepting bribes in connection with revenue-related work. The alleged bribes range from a few thousand rupees to substantially larger amounts, with ACB conducting trap operations following complaints received against officials.
The 2025 cases included Patwaris posted in different districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Anantnag, Poonch, Ramban, Budgam, Kulgam, Jammu, Samba and Shopian. Several of the cases involved alleged demands for money in connection with revenue records, land-related matters and other official work.
In one of the cases recorded in 2025, ACB arrested Patwari Sunil Kumar of Dadui, Samba, in connection with an alleged bribery case. The agency subsequently reported the recovery of more than Rs 35 lakh from his vehicle during searches.
The anti-corruption action has continued into 2026, with seven Patwari arrests verified in ACB records so far. The cases involve officials posted in Udhampur, Budgam, Rajouri, Srinagar, Anantnag, Jammu and Kathua.
Among the cases recorded this year are the arrests of Patwaris in separate trap operations involving alleged bribes of Rs 5,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh and Rs 70,000, besides other cases where the exact amount was not immediately available in the records reviewed.
The ACB records also show that not every corruption case involving a Patwari results in the official being arrested. In some instances, alleged touts or intermediaries have been arrested while the role of the concerned Patwari remains under investigation.
In one 2026 case, for example, an alleged tout was arrested for allegedly accepting money on behalf of a Patwari, while the available record did not establish that the Patwari himself had been arrested. Similarly, in another case, a Patwari allegedly fled from the spot during a trap operation. Such cases have not been included in the arrest count.
The review also shows a distinction between arrests, registration of cases, chargesheets and convictions. An arrest or registration of a corruption case does not establish guilt, and cases remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.
ACB records reviewed by KNT also contain convictions of former Patwaris in corruption cases, including judgments delivered years after the original cases were registered. Among the convictions recorded in recent years are cases involving former Patwaris in Budgam, Anantnag and other areas.
The conviction figures cannot be directly compared with the annual arrest figures because corruption cases may remain pending before courts for several years before reaching a final judgment.
The year-wise trend identified in the ACB records reviewed by KNT shows two Patwari arrests in 2019, two in 2020, five in 2021, seven in 2022, four in 2023, four in 2024, 10 in 2025 and seven so far in 2026.
The figures indicate that the highest number of verified Patwari arrest instances during the period reviewed was recorded in 2025, followed by 2022 and 2026 so far.
The cases also underline the continuing focus of the Anti-Corruption Bureau on the Revenue Department, where Patwaris frequently deal with land records, revenue extracts, mutations and other documents sought by members of the public. [KNT]
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