SRINAGAR: The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) stated on Tuesday that it had trapped and arrested a clerk in the office of the District Industrial Complex, Kupwara. The clerk was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 5000 to process the case of the complainant’s wife.
“A complaint was received by Anti Corruption Bureau alleging therein that the complainant prepared file of his wife for establishing a unit under District industries for the activity Tailoring & preparation of Readymade Garments under Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme(PMEGP),” ACB said in a statement.
The complainant applied with DIC Kupwara on 06-08-2021. However, he claimed that he had been running from one formality to another for the past two years and that his wife’s case under PMEGP was not being processed on merit. The complainant stated that the case had been delayed due to a demand for a bribe under PMEGP.
The complainant further alleged that despite the fact that he had completed all the formalities in the file the officers, officials posted at DIC Kupwara fail to process the genuine case of his wife, that even after lapse of considerable time no action was taken on the said file. “He is now being asked to pay bribe in order to approve the case and sent it to Punjab National Bank for release of loan amount disbursement,” the statement said.
The complainant further alleged that one of the employees of the District Industrial Centre, Kupwara Saifudin Wani is presently demanding the bribe of Rs 5000 from him. He lodged his complaint with ACB requesting therein for legal action against concerned, it added.
As the contents of complaint prima facie disclose the commission of offence punishable U/S 7 of the PC Act 1988 by accused public servant namely Safudin Wani, posted in the office of DIC Kupwara, accordingly a Case FIR No. 05/2023 was registered at Police Station Anti Corruption Bureau Baramulla U/S 7 of the P.C Act 1988 & the investigation were initiated, it said.
“During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted which laid a trap and caught the accused official of DIC Kupwara red-handed while demanding and accepting the bribe amount of Rs 5000. He was arrested on the spot after completing all legal formalities,” the statement said.
It added that the role of other officials, officers of the DIC Kupwara is also being looked into and investigations are also looking into the circumstances under which the case of the complainant’s wife was delayed for two years and was approved immediately after receipt of the bribe amount.
Further investigation in the case is going on, the statement said. (KNO)
