The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jammu and Kashmir, on Saturday produced a charge sheet against a former Patwari and another accused in a bribery case registered in 2023 before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Udhampur.
The charge sheet has been filed in FIR No. 01/2023 registered at Police Station ACB Udhampur under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, against Darbinder Singh, the then Patwari of Patwar Halqa Rasli Gadheran, Basantgarh, Udhampur, and Nashar Ahmad, son of Mohd Iqbal, a resident of Basantgarh.
According to the ACB, the case originated from a written complaint lodged by Bodh Raj, a resident of Rasli Gadheran, who alleged that he had applied for issuance of a fard (land record extract) in connection with the proposed sale of his land to one Madan Lal.
The complainant alleged that after approaching the then Patwari, Darbinder Singh, for issuance of the fard, the official demanded a bribe from him.
The complaint was subsequently verified by an officer of the ACB Udhampur-Reasi Branch.
During verification, the allegations were found to be genuine, following which a formal case was registered, and a trap was laid by the anti-corruption agency.
The ACB stated that during the trap operation, Darbinder Singh, the then Patwari, and Nashar Ahmad, who was driving the vehicle bearing registration number JK02BV-9048, were allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount from the complainant.
During the investigation, the ACB collected documentary and other evidence and concluded that the offence punishable under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, as amended in 2018, had been established against the accused persons.
Accordingly, the charge sheet was presented before the Special Judge, Anti-Corruption, Udhampur, on Saturday for further judicial proceedings.
The filing of the charge sheet marks the culmination of the investigation conducted by the ACB in the bribery case, with the matter now before the competent court for further proceedings in accordance with law.
