ACB arrested Tehsildar Panthachowk red-handed while accepting bribe

Agency likely to probe disproportionate of assets, People thank LG Administration

ANN News Desk

Srinagar, Aug 2: Anti-corruption Bureau Tuesday arrested Tehsildar PanthaChowk Majid Choudhary red handed while accepting a bribe.

Sources told ANN News that the bribe amount Rs 1,20,000 was also recovered from the accused in presence of an independent witness. The accused has been taken in custody under Prevention of Corruption Act.

As per sources, ACB raided the vehicle of Tehsildar PanthaChowk bearing number JK01AL- 8277 and caught red-handed while accepting a bribe along with his employee.

The bribe money of rupees 1,20,000 was recovered on spot and both the officials identified as Majid Choudhary Tehsildar PanthaChowk and Waseem Ahmad who is posted at Tehsil office Pantha-Chowk in Srinagar and is said to be the close associate of Tehsildar were arrested.

Waseem was earlier posted in Ganderbal with the same officer.

The officer was arrested on the spot at TulsiBag Phase-2 by the ACB team.

The ACB has registered the case in this regard and further investigation has been taken up.

Highly placed sources that ACB is also likely to probe the disproportionate assets of the Choudhary who is believed to have built assets from taking gratifications and bribes from common people thus misused his official power and position.

“The officer was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe he had demanded from the aggrieved,” said an official.

Meanwhile, common people in Tehsil PanthaChwok has lauded the efforts of LG administration for making ACB vibrant to eliminate the menace of bribery from the society.

 “We are thankful to the LG adminstration which is working day and night to provide efficient, transparent governance to people in J&K. We also thank LG administration for making ACB such a powerful institution where big fishes are also not beyond the net of agency,” said locals of Panthachowk.

In the recent past, the ACB has caught several public servants red-handed while accepting bribes.

Pertinantly, the LG administration has reiterated its commitment of zero tolerance for corrupt officials and have issued termination orders of corrupt officials invoking Article 311.