SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested two officials of the PWD (R and B) Mechanical Division, North Kashmir, Baramulla, Mushtaq Ahmad (Sr. Assistant) and Farooq Ahmad (Jr. Assistant), for accepting a Rs 13,000 bribe to release a pending payment.
According to the ACB, the complaint was received on April 6 through its helpline from a manager of a private firm registered on the GeM portal. The firm had won a tender floated by the PWD for supplying a customised vehicle for live fish transportation to the Department of Fisheries, Bandipora. Despite completing all formalities and submitting the bill both online and in hard copy, the payment was deliberately withheld by the officials to extort a bribe.
Upon verification, the ACB found the allegations prima facie substantiated and registered FIR No. 01/2026 under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) read with Section 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. A trap was subsequently laid, and the accused were apprehended on the spot after completing legal formalities.
The Bureau confirmed that further investigation is ongoing and reiterated that demanding or accepting bribes is a punishable offense. Citizens are urged to report corruption in Jammu and Kashmir via the ACB toll-free helpline 1800-180-7152, WhatsApp 9419678060, the Satark Nagrik Mobile App, or by email at [director.vigilance@jk.gov.in](mailto:director.vigilance@jk.gov.in).
