Jammu, 02 June (H.S.): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a Forest Guard posted in Kishtwar for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 from a contractor for facilitating the release of security deposits related to allotted works.

According to an ACB spokesperson, a complaint was received alleging that the accused official had demanded Rs 20,000 from the complainant.

After negotiations, he said, the amount was allegedly reduced to Rs 15,000.

Unwilling to pay the bribe, the complainant approached the ACB and sought legal action, the ACB official said.

Following a discreet verification, the ACB found prima facie evidence of the bribe demand and registered FIR number 07/2026 under section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Police Station ACB Central, Jammu.

The ACB official said that accordingly, a trap team was constituted which laid the trap and arrested the accused, identified as Vaseem Ahmad Hap, a Forest Guard of Forest Division Marwah, Kishtwar, who was also handling accounts work in the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, while demanding and accepting Rs 15,000 bribe red-handed.

He said the bribe money was recovered from the possession of the accused in the presence of independent witnesses.

The ACB also conducted searches at the accused’s residence in the presence of an Executive Magistrate and independent witnesses. Further investigation is in progress.

The trap was laid by a team of police station ACB Central headed by Kamal Sangra, DySP as TLO under the supervision of SSP Abdul Qayoom.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar