ACB sleuths arrest FCI Godown owner, Weigher while accepting bribe in Budgam

Srinagar: Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Monday arrested Food Corporation of India (FCI) Godown owner and a Weigher red-handed while demanding and accepting bribe in Jammu Kashmir’s Budgam district.

A ACB statement said a complainant approached ACB with a written complaint against the office bearers of FCI Godown Chandpora Budgam, alleging demand of bribe from the complainant for unloading his truck.

The truck is associated with transportation of food-grain for FCI and had arrived at FCI Godown, Chandpora with a load of rice on August 8 and since then the truck had not been unloaded and the office bearers had finally told the complainant to approach Godown owner and Tajamul Hassan Shah, Weigher.

The complainant accordingly approached the Godown Owner, who told him to deposit an amount of Rs 1500 into his bank account. Further, the Weigher told him to pay a bribe of Rs 3500 before his truck could be unloaded, the statement said.

The complainant however, chose not to pay a bribe and approached ACB Srinagar for taking legal action against the accused as provided under law.

On receipt of the complaint, a Case FIR No. 16/2023 U/S 7, 7A of PC Act 1988 was registered with PS ACB Srinagar and investigation was taken up.

During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted by this Bureau who laid a successful trap and caught the accused Weigher red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe amount of Rs 3500 from the complainant. The money was recovered from the accused on spot.

Moreover, before receiving the receipt of transported food-grain, the driver was asked by the Godown Owner to deposit an amount of Rs 1500 into his bank account. The accused Godown Owner has been identified as Abdul Majeed Sheikh a resident of Firdousabad, Batmaloo Srinagar, Proprietor Sheikh Suppliers and Contractors while as weigher has been identified Tajamul Hassan Shah of Dharmuna Budgam.

Further investigation into the case is going on. Role of the other involved persons associated with FCI Godown Chandpora is being investigated. More arrests are expected to follow in the instant case, the statement added.
UNI