Srinagar, April 21: The Anti-Corruption Bureau Jammu and Kashmir has filed a charge sheet before the Court of Special Judge, Anti-Corruption Baramulla, against Mubarak Ahmad Ganai, the then Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) of PWD (R&B) Division Sopore, in a bribery case involving the demand and acceptance of illegal gratification from a contractor.
According to officials, the case originated from a complaint alleging that the accused demanded a bribe at the rate of 2% for processing a bill amounting to ₹28.27 lakh related to the construction of a classroom lecture block at Government Degree College Sopore.
A discreet verification conducted by the ACB substantiated the allegations, following which a case was registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, and a trap was laid.
On October 16, 2024, the accused was caught red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹25,000 from the complainant. The tainted amount was recovered from his possession in the presence of independent witnesses.
Investigation revealed that the accused, by virtue of his official position, had direct authority over processing the pending bill and had deliberately withheld it to extract illegal gratification from the contractor.
Upon completion of the investigation, the case was presented before the competent authority, which, after due consideration, granted sanction for prosecution. Subsequently, the final report (challan) was filed before the competent court by the agency.
The matter is now pending before the court for judicial determination, with the next hearing scheduled for June 6, 2026.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and taking strict legal action against the abuse of public office.(KINS)
