ACB Arrests Rural Development Officials for Bribery Scandal

PTK News Desk

The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Jammu & Kashmir has made a significant breakthrough by apprehending a Junior Engineer (JE) Arshid Ayoub Marazi from the Rural Development Department on charges of soliciting and accepting bribes. Marazi allegedly demanded and accepted a sum of ₹5000 from a complainant for processing and preparing bills related to developmental works.

The complaint, received through the ACB Helpline Number 9419678060, detailed the extortion attempts made by Marazi and another official, GR Suboor Mir, from a resident of Kunnel Qaziabad village in Handwara District, Kupwara. The complainant, who had executed works under MG-NREGA, was allegedly coerced into paying bribes of ₹5000 and ₹3000 for processing bills and preparing labor demands, respectively.

Upon discreet verification, ACB found merit in the allegations. The complainant, authorized by the panchayat, had completed two developmental projects but was not fully compensated for his labor. When he approached Marazi to prepare bills, he was allegedly asked for bribes. This was not an isolated incident, as both officials were reported to have extorted bribes through various means, including mobile payments.

Based on the findings, ACB registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and relevant sections of the IPC against Marazi and Mir. A trap was set, leading to Marazi’s arrest while he was accepting the bribe. The recovered money and the involvement of other officials are under investigation.

As the investigation continues, ACB’s swift action underscores its commitment to combat corruption and uphold accountability in public service.