MC president held in graft case

Srinagar: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday arrested the president of Municipal Committee Awantipora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to discharge his official duties, officials said.

The ACB received a complaint alleging therein that Bilal Ahmed Bhat, president Municipal Committee Awantipora, is demanding Rs 1,000 for processing the bills of the complainant, a spokesman of the anti-corruption agency said here.

The complainant alleged that Bhat used to demand commission at the rate of five per cent for processing the bills, he said.

The complainant said that he is an owner of an IT firm and was allotted a tender a year ago but the accused was demanding five per cent of the total bill amount of Rs 20,650 for the renewal of the existing contract for the year 2022, the spokesman said.

Since the contents of the complaint disclose demand of bribe by alleged accused Bilal Ahmed Bhat, president of Municipal committee, Awantipora. Consequently, a case was registered and investigation taken-up, he said.

During investigation, a trap was laid and Bhat was caught demanding and accepting Rs 1,000 as bribe, the spokesman said.

He was arrested on the spot by the ACB team and the bribe money was also recovered from his possession in presence of independent witnesses, he said.