Srinagar, Oct 1 (IANS): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said on Thursday that it has arrested a Deputy Director, Agriculture (Law Enforcement), along with his tout, while demanding and accepting a bribe from a seed dealer.
Officials said the trap was organised and carried out on Wednesday, while the ACB statement giving details was released on Thursday.
The ACB statement said that the bureau received a written complaint, wherein the complainant, a seed dealer, alleged that Deputy Director Agriculture Law Enforcement, namely, Naseer Ahmad Khan, had demanded a Rs 2 lakh bribe for allowing him to sell plant seeds at his shop.
The complainant alleged that under compulsion, he had already paid Rs 1 lakh, and after negotiations, the remaining amount was to be paid in two instalments of Rs 50,000 each.
Unwilling to pay further bribes, he approached ACB for legal action. Upon verification, the allegations were prima facie established, following which FIR No. 16/2026 under sections 7, 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 61(2) BNS was registered at Police Station ACB Srinagar, and investigation was taken up.
Accordingly, on September 30, a trap team was constituted. During trap proceedings, the accused public servant, Naseer Ahmad Khan, along with his tout, Mohd Owais Bhat of Qamarwari, was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 50,000 as illegal gratification from the complainant.
Both were arrested on the spot, and the tainted bribe money of Rs 50,000 was recovered from their possession. They were subjected to medico-legal formalities and lodged at the Police Station of Shaheed Gunj, Srinagar.
Further investigation in the case is in progress, ACB said.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau is the premier specialised law enforcement agency in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, tasked with investigating bribery, corruption, and financial irregularities among public servants.
The organisation was initially created as the “Anti-Corruption Organisation” in 1962. It was renamed as the “State Vigilance Organisation” under the Prevention of Corruption Laws (Amendment) Act, 1983, before evolving into the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
