ACB arrests tout for accepting Rs 11,000 bribe on behalf of Patwari

STATE TIMES NEWS SRINAGAR: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested Abdul Hamid Khan, a land broker/tout, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 11,000 on behalf of Saleem Altaf, Patwari, Halqa Batmaloo, Srinagar, in connection with the issuance of revenue extracts. According to an ACB official, the Bureau had received a written complaint alleging that Patwari Saleem Altaf, through his associate Abdul Hamid Khan, had demanded illegal gratification from the complainant for issuing revenue extracts pertaining to his house. 'The complainant had applied online for the revenue extracts on behalf of his father for the purpose of attestation of mutation. The Patwari, through his associate, initially demanded Rs 20,000, which was later settled at Rs 16,000,' the ACB official said. The official said the complainant had already been compelled to pay Rs 5,000 as the first installment on behalf of the accused Patwari, while a second instalment of Rs 11,000 was demanded on Monday for issuance of the revenue extracts. 'After receiving the complaint, the allegations were verified and a case was registered as FIR No. 13/2026 under Sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Section 61(2) of the BNS at Police Station ACB Srinagar. Investigation was subsequently taken up,' the official said. During the investigation, an ACB Srinagar trap team was constituted. During the trap operation, Abdul Hamid Khan was allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 11,000 as illegal gratification on behalf of the Patwari. The accused was taken into custody. During his personal search, the trap amount of Rs 11,000, along with Rs 25,125 in cash, payment slips, the revenue extract in question and a sale deed pertaining to Mohammad Sidiq Sheikh, son of Gh. Mohammad Sheikh, were recovered. 'The recovered articles have been seized as per procedure and are being examined as part of the investigation,' the official said. The ACB is also ascertaining the alleged involvement of Patwari Saleem Altaf in the demand and acceptance of the bribe through the tout. 'The investigation in the case is ongoing,' the official added.