BUDGAM, Jan 10 (2026): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a revenue official in Budgam for demanding and accepting a bribe, marking a major success in its ongoing drive against graft.
The accused, Riyaz Ahmad Khan, serving as the Patwari for Halqa Rakh Soothu, was apprehended during a successful trap operation. The action followed a formal complaint from a local citizen who alleged that the official had demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 for issuing a revenue extract and a bank lien certificate, documents essential for a bank guarantee.
Refusing to succumb to the illegal demand, the complainant approached the ACB Srinagar to seek legal intervention.Following a discreet verification that confirmed the bribe demand, the ACB registered a formal case (FIR No. 02/2026) under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.
A specialized trap team was immediately constituted, which caught the Patwari red-handed at the moment he accepted the bribe amount from the complainant. After the recovery of the tainted money and the completion of necessary medico-legal formalities, the accused public servant was taken into custody.
The ACB has reiterated its commitment to zero tolerance against corruption, noting that further investigations are underway to determine if other officials were involved in such malpractices.
