J&K SVO files charge sheet against govt official in graft case

The Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) has filed a charge sheet against a government official for allegedly taking a bribe, an official said on Sunday.

Darminder Singh, a junior Engineer with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Doda district, was caught taking the bribe in January from a contractor to expedite release of pending payments, a SVO spokesman said.

The charge sheet against Singh was filed in an special anti-corruption court in Doda on Saturday, he said.

He said on January 18, a complaint was lodged by Bashir Ahmed of Manoo village, alleging that the officer had withheld a payment of Rs 4 lakhs and had demanded a bribe of Rs 35,000 for its release.

The complainant also alleged that a payment of Rs 2.40 lakh of Jaffer Iqbal of his village was also not released and Singh had demanded Rs 20,000 as bribe.

"The officer was apprehended by SVO sleuths while demanding and accepting the illegal gratification of Rs 55,000 from the complainant, he said.

The spokesman said next date of hearing in the case is September 26.