Kalakot Treasury Clerk held for accepting Rs 20,000 bribe

Jammu Tawi, Sep 9 : The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday arrested a clerk posted in Rajouri district for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000, officials said.

The accused has been identified as Khadam Hussain, who was posted in the Treasury Office in Kalakote, they said.

According to the ACB, it received a written complaint from a retired fourth-class employee of the health department, who alleged that he had to withdraw his gratuity amount of Rs 50,000 from the Treasury Office in Kalakote.

The complainant approached the accused official for processing his case, following which Hussain allegedly demanded Rs 25,000 as illegal gratification for facilitating withdrawal of the gratuity amount, they said.

The complainant reportedly requested the official to consider his financial condition, stating that he was a poor person. However, the accused allegedly persisted with the demand, following which the bribe amount was negotiated and settled at Rs 20,000, they said.

The complainant approached the ACB and lodged a written complaint seeking legal action against the accused official. The allegations were subsequently verified and, after registration of a case, a trap team comprising officers and officials of ACB Police Station Rajouri was constituted, they said.

During the operation, the ACB team caught Hussain red-handed while allegedly demanding and accepting Rs 20,000 as illegal gratification from the complainant, officials said.

The accused official was arrested on the spot and subsequently, searches were conducted at his residential premises in Rajouri in connection with the case.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.