Srinagar, May 27: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday said to have caught red-handed a Senior Assistant-cum-Cashier in the office of Executive Engineer, KPDCL Sub Transmission Division, Sopore for demanding and accepting bribe from a person in lieu release of his security deposit.
“Anti-Corruption Bureau received a complaint against Mohd Shafi Bhat Sr. Assistant/Cashier in the office of the Executive Engineer, KPDCL, Sub Transmission Division Sopore, alleging therein the demand of bribe of ₹10,000 for release of security amount to the tune of ₹15560,” reads a statement.
“It was alleged by the complainant in his complaint that he is running a Firm namely M/S Print Plus at Hazratbal Srinagar and in the year 2021 he had supplied stationary items and log books to the office of Executive Engineer, KPDCL, Sopore for which the Bill payment against the supplied items was made by the Department but the security deposit amount of ₹15,560 is pending with the KPDCL, Sopore.”
The complainant, the statement reads, further alleged that he approached the Department for the release of the security amount many times but one cashier Mohd. Shafi kept delaying the same on one pretext or another and finally demanded ₹10000 as bribe from him for doing so and that he had collected proof against said cashier regarding demand of bribe. Under these circumstances he approached ACB with a written complaint requesting for legal action against Cashier for demanding bribes.
“As the contents of complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offence punishable under section 7 of the P.C Act 1988 (r/w its amendment Act 2018) by accused public servant namely Mohd Shafi, Cashier in the office of the Executive Engineer, KPDCL Sub Transmission Division Sopore District Baramulla, accordingly a Case FIR No. 09/2024 under section 7 of the P.C Act 1988 (r/w its amendment Act 2018) was registered against him at Police Station, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Baramulla and investigations were initiated,” reads the statement.
“During the course of investigations, the accused public servant was caught red handed while demanding and accepting bribes from the complainant by a specially constituted team of ACB headed by DySP rank officer. He was immediately taken into custody after completing the legal formalities and the bribe amount was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses,” the statement reads, adding, further investigations in the case are going on.
