ACB Trap in Kokernag: Patwari and Chowkidar Apprehended for Accepting Bribe

KOKERNAG, JANUARY 15: In a major crackdown on administrative corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) successfully apprehended a Patwari and a Chowkidar on Thursday for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe in the Kokernag area of South Kashmir. Acting on a specific complaint filed by Mohd Rafiq Sheere, a resident of Soafshali, a specialized team from ACB Srinagar, led by ASP Makhan Singh, orchestrated a precise trap at the Patwari Khana in Bidder. The operation resulted in the “red-handed” arrest of Muneeb Farooq Mala, the Patwari for Halqa Soafshali-Panzgam, as he was caught receiving a bribe of ₹15,000 from the complainant.

The investigation further revealed the involvement of a middleman, leading to the immediate custody of the local Chowkidar, identified as Farooq Ahmed Wani. According to official sources, the bribe was allegedly being extorted in exchange for processing official land records or revenue documents. Following the recovery of the tainted money in the presence of independent witnesses, both officials were detained, and a formal case has been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. This latest enforcement action underscores the ACB’s intensified efforts to sanitize the revenue department and ensure transparency in public dealings at the grassroots level.