Mineral supervisor arrested over bribery allegations in Srinagar

Srinagar, June 26: Anti Corruption Bureau Srinagar on Thursday arrested mineral supervisor of Geology and Mining department for accepting and demanding bribe from a person.

In a handout, a spokesman of ACB said that Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Srinagar received a written complaint from one Meraj-Ud-Din Cheeta S/o Manzoor Ahmad Cheeta R/o Pandrethan, Srinagar, alleging that Basharat Habib, Mineral Supervisor in the Geology & Mining Department, was demanding a bribe for allowing the lifting of minor minerals (sand).

The spokesman further stated that upon receipt of the complaint, a discreet verification was conducted by officers of Police Station ACB Srinagar, which confirmed the allegations. Consequently, a case FIR No. 11/2025 U/S 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended) was registered, and investigation was taken up.

A trap team was constituted, which successfully laid a trap and caught the accused red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe amount of 15,000/- from the complainant. The accused was taken into custody on the spot. Further investigation is underway.

It is pertinent to mention that just two days earlier, another official of the same department was caught red-handed by ACB while accepting a bribe of 10,000/- in the Safapora area.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau is actively pursuing its mission of eradicating corruption from public offices and ensuring a transparent and accountable governance system. We reaffirm our commitment to building a corruption-free society and call upon the citizens to come forward and report instances of corruption without fear, reads the statement.(GNS)