Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 31: Additional Sessions Judge Anticorruption Rajouri Mehmood Ahmed Choudhary today granted 15 days police remand of Incharge Block forest Officer, Thakrakote, Reasi and Forest Guard, who were caught-red handed by ACB while accepting bribe Rs 15000.
The Anti Corruption Bureau received a complaint against Abneet Kumar presently posted at Beat Bharakh with additional charge of Beat Narla Bambal. In the complaint, the complainant alleged that he had taken one dry fallen Chir tree from the forest and after few days Munshi of PP Taryath contacted the complainant and told that Forest Guard namely Abneet Kumar of beat Narla Bambal lodged a complaint against him for cutting/taking of tree from the forest without permission.
When the complainant met Munshi of PP Teryath, he told him to settle the matter with the Forest Guard. When the complainant contacted Forest Guard through another persons, he demanded Rs 22,000 as bribe for withdrawn of application and settlement.
On this, the complainant approached ACB and lodged complaint in Police Station ACB Rajouri for taking legal action against the Forest Guard.
Since the contents of the complaint disclose demand of bribe by alleged accused public servant the same was verified through verifying officer who reported that prima facie commission of offences under S7 of PC Act 1988 is made out against the accused Abneet Kumar Forest Guard. Accordingly, FIR No. 02/2023 was registered and investigation started.
During investigation, a trap team was constituted. However, during the trap proceedings, another forest official Sat Pal, I/c Block Officer Thakrakote was also found involved in the conspiracy with the said Forest Guard Abneet Kumar. They were caught red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe of Rs 15,000 from the complainant. Both of them were arrested on spot after completing necessary legal formalities.
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