Tehsildar caught red-handed while taking bribe, arrested by ACB
Srinagar, June 21(KINS): The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested Ghulam Rasool Bhat, Tehsildar of Qaziabad Kralgund in Kupwara district, after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of 50,000.
He was trapped at his private residence in Handwara along with his accomplice, identified as Rafi Ahmad Lone, a resident of Pathora Kralgund.
The ACB acted upon a complaint filed by a resident of Handwara who alleged that the Tehsildar had demanded a bribe of ₹1 lakh for granting permission to cut walnut trees. Despite pleading inability to pay the full amount due to financial constraints, the complainant was forced to pay ₹50,000 as an advance under pressure from the official.
When the complainant later approached the Tehsildar for the required permissions, he was again asked to pay the remaining 50,000. This demand prompted the complainant to approach the ACB, which discreetly verified the allegations and registered an FIR (No. 04/2025) under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), at Police Station ACB Baramulla.
Following this, an ACB trap team arrested the Tehsildar and his tout during the act of accepting the remaining bribe. In addition to the 50,000 bribe money, an additional ₹79,000 in cash was recovered during a search at the location. The accused were produced before the Hon’ble Additional Special Judge Anti-Corruption Court, Baramulla, who remanded them to seven days of police custody.
Officials confirmed that searches are underway at both residential and official premises of the accused. Notably, the same Tehsildar was previously booked by the ACB in 2021 for illegal land mutations, and further verifications are ongoing against him in other pending complaints.
The ACB has also launched efforts to ascertain the involvement of other officials in the case. Further investigation is in progress.(KINS)
