ACB arrests PCB scientist for accepting bribe

Srinagar, Jan 8: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Monday arrested a scientist of the Pollution Control Board for demanding and accepting a bribe.

A statement of the ACB issued here said that it received a written complaint against Bilquees Ara Siddiqui of Gulshanabad Anantnag working as a Scientist-B in the Pollution Control Board for the demand of bribe for issuance of ‘Consent to Operate’ (CTO) for a bakery unit located at Industrial Estate, Khunmoh.

It said that the complainant in his complaint alleged that he had applied for CTO from the Pollution Control Board in November 2023.

The ACB statement said that his application was pending with the Siddiqui who was unnecessarily delaying the matter.

It said that the complainant alleged that on January 6, the complainant visited the accused at the PCB office and requested her to process his case.

The statement said that she demanded Rs 20,000 as a bribe from the complainant for the issuance of CTO and that after negotiation the amount was settled as Rs 5000.

“The complainant chose not to pay a bribe and instead approached the ACB to take legal action against the accused public servant as provided under the law. On receipt of the complaint, a Case FIR No 02/2024 under Section 7 of the PC Act 1988 was registered with Police Station ACB Srinagar and an investigation was taken up,” the ACB statement said.

It said that during the investigation, a trap team was constituted.

“The team laid a successful trap and caught the accused public servant red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe amount of Rs 5000 from the complainant. The money was recovered from the accused on the spot,” the statement said.