ACB books Ex-Tehsildar for alleged bribery in land case

Convener News Desk

Srinagar, Feb 07: The Anti-Corruption Bureau on Saturday said to have filed a corruption case against an ex-Tehsildar South Srinagar, over allegations of demanding bribe in a land demarcation case, officials said.

They said, searches at his Srinagar and Baramulla homes yielded documents and evidence.

In a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Anti Corruption Bureau said of registering FIR No. 03/2026 at Police Station ACB Srinagar under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Maeen Azhar Kakroo, the then Tehsildar South Srinagar, for alleged demand and acceptance of illegal gratification.

The statment reads, the case owes its origin to a verification conducted by this bureau on the basis of a complaint regarding illegal encroachment issues and alleged bribery in connection with restoration and demarcation of land during the year 2021.

“Verification revealed that land measuring 4 Kanals 9 Marlas 165 Sqft, including Survey No. 998/54, is recorded in the name of few individuals including complainant.”

It reads, during verification, it surfaced that the accused public servant allegedly demanded illegal gratification for facilitating restoration of 14 Marlas of land situated at Gulbahar Colony Hyderpora, Sector-14 Srinagar.

“It further came to light that a second-hand Mahindra Rexton 4×4 vehicle (Regd. No. MH03CP-5000) was allegedly accepted as illegal gratification, with payments reportedly made by the complainant through banking transactions from his Paytm account linked with J&K Bank Batamaloo,” the statment reads.

It reads as, further enquiry revealed that after restoration, the said land was sold by the complainant in January 2022 to a private purchaser and is presently under her possession. By allegedly demanding and accepting illegal gratification other than legal remuneration in connection with an official act, the accused is stated to have abused his official position.

“Accordingly, offences under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) have been established against the accused public servant and Case FIR No. 03/2026 has been registered at Police Station ACB Srinagar.”

The statment reads as, immediately after registration of FIR, searches of residential house of above said accused person was conducted after obtaining search warrants from the Hon’ble Court. Searches were carried simultaneously at 02 separate locations viz a) Residential house at Kanil Bagh Azad Road Baramulla, b) Residential House at Rose Avenue Colony Gazalla Abad HMT Srinagar.

“During the search incriminating evidences including Revenue papers,& finance/bank documents etc  were recovered and seized as evidence in the instant case. The investigation of the case is going on,” the statment reads further.—(KNO)