ACB booked revenue officials on corruption charges in J-K

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Saturday registered a case against several revenue officials including a former assistant commissioner revenue (ACR)) in a corruption case dating back to 2015 in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.

A case under various sections of prevention of corruption act and Ranbir Penal Code was registered against revenue officers - Sonu Pargal, then ACR Samba, Raghubir Sharma, then Naib Tehsildar Ghagwal and others, a spokesman of the ACB said here.

He said the case was registered on the basis of verification conducted pursuant to a written complaint lodged by Amit Mahajan regarding allegation of corruption done by Pargal and Sharma during 2015.

"Verification conducted revealed that Pargal and Sharma under a well designed plan and abuse of their official positions demanded and accepted the bribe amounting to Rs 1.95 crores and Rs 38.50 lakhs respectively from the father of complainant for acquisition of land measuring over 495 kanals (24.75 hectares) at village Sungawali belonging to the complainant and his brother for BSF at enhanced rates of compensation at the rate of Rs 10 lakhs per kanal instead of actual cost of Rs 4.80 lakhs per Kanal," the spokesman said.

However, after refusal by the BSF authorities, the acquisition proceedings could not be matured with respect to the land of the complainant, the spokesman said.

While Pargal returned the bribe money to the complainant but Sharma did not, the spokesman said.

"On the prima-facie establishment of allegations, ACB registered a formal case under relevant section of law and also conducted simultaneous raids with the help of local police and magistrates at the residences and office of accused persons in presence of independent witnesses," the spokesman said.

During the process, he said all relevant record and suspicious documents were seized on the spot.

"Detailed and in-depth scrutiny of the seized record will be carried out during further course of investigation by sleuths of ACB, he added.