Bailed out, Back in power
ACB trap a joke? PSI caught taking ₹13,000 bribe now probe officer at nearby police station
Sumit Sharma
JAMMU: In a development that has stunned both anti-corruption watchdogs and common citizens, PSI Murtaza Rehman, who was caught red-handed accepting a ₹13,000 bribe from helpless street vendors, has been quietly reposted just around the corner — now serving as Investigation Officer at Police Station Nowabad, right next to his previous posting at GMC Jammu.
This controversial decision has triggered panic among the complainants, who allege that the officer is now indirectly threatening them using his new position. The same vendors who approached the ACB seeking justice are now being hounded, they say.
On May 3, a team from the Jammu & Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau laid a trap and caught PSI Murtaza Rehman and Special Police Officer (SPO) Himanshu Sharma red-handed while accepting ₹13,000 as bribe from street vendors in exchange for allowing them to operate illegally on encroached footpaths and roads near Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu.
The ACB had received a written complaint that public servants at the Police Post GMC were extorting money from vendors to permit their carts/reharis to function at the exit gate of GMC.
Following a discreet verification that confirmed the bribe demand, FIR No. 06/2025 was registered under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 at Police Station ACB, Jammu.
A trap team was formed, which caught both the accused officials in possession of the bribe money, in front of independent witnesses, thus solidifying the case against them.
While SSP Jammu immediately terminated SPO Himanshu Sharma, no similar action was taken against PSI Murtaza Rehman.
Instead, he was shifted to Police Station Nowabad — a jurisdiction adjoining his previous beat, leaving the very complainants exposed to potential harassment and retaliation.
Insiders say the lack of immediate suspension or departmental inquiry has raised serious concerns about internal shielding, favouritism, or worse — attempts to weaken the case from within.
The affected street vendors, already battling daily financial hardship, say they are being repeatedly harassed and pressured to withdraw or stay silent.
Their renewed complaints to the ACB met with cold bureaucracy — they were advised to contact senior police officers like the SSP Jammu, DIG JKS Range, and IGP Jammu, rather than see proactive protection or justice.
Their fear is real — with Rehman back in uniform and in control of investigations, they believe justice is being choked before it even begins.
Experts have expressed shock at the development. “What is the point of such well-publicized ACB traps if the accused ends up back in a position of power within days?” a retired police official commented anonymously.
The case, which was initially hailed as a win for accountability, is now turning into a textbook example of institutional failure and systemic rot — where whistleblowers are left vulnerable and tainted officers are rewarded with power.
As of now, PSI Murtaza Rehman remains posted at Nowabad Police Station, and the street vendors continue their battle for justice — only now, with more fear than ever.
